Ken Vs the Digimon Emperor
by Lilly K
Summary: AU where Ken Ichijouchi is not the Digimon Emperor, but Davis hopes that Ken might help them defeat him, pitting one brilliant mind against another. Idea started off as a oneshot, but has been gaining momentum. I finished a basic outline, and hope to complete it. Inspired by the awesome Digimon fics of Higuchimon.
1. Chapter 1

Ken Ichijouchi was certainly a genius by anyone's standards, but there were some things that surprised even people of Ken's intelligence.

Namely, Ken could never have guessed that a certain friend from soccer would catch up with him, get down on his knees, clutch the bottom of Ken's coat, and beg him to help them defeat the evil conqueror of another world.

At first Ken laughed, but when the boy's friends surrounded him, all asking for his assistance, he realized Davis was actually serious. He still hadn't ruled out that it was some kind of prank or scheme, but the strange talking creatures that verified the story made this whole thing impossibly hard to ignore.

And then came the day that Ken met with Davis and the others in the computer lab of an ordinary prep school, and was actually somehow absorbed into a computer. How fascinating. This totally changed a lot of his most basic assumptions, and he would have to majorly adjust his priors on a score of subjects.

Regardless, now that he knew the digital world was actually real, he thought it more reasonable to believe the story that Davis and the others told him about this place. The digimon were a marvel all their own, and the landscape would require further study too, when possible. Of course if there was a madman on the loose, Ken knew what his priorities had to be.

"Alright," he said to the others, "Give me all the details you know about his forces, his patterns, the terrain we're looking at, and what our resources are." Ken cracked his knuckles with a smirk toward Davis, "If he's half the threat you say he is, you were right to bring me in for an operation like this. That Digimon Emperor will wish he never set foot into this world by the time I'm through with him."

"Woah, slow down, there," said T.K. "We want his surrender, not his head on a platter."

"Quite," said Ken, making notes. "I think before I can make any meaningful strategic decisions, I'll need to see exactly what we're up against, too."

"That won't be a problem," Yolei pointed between a couple of peaks at an Airdramon heading their way, "We're never here for long before that jerk finds us and tries to push us around."

Ken had been told that the digimon could be controlled using something called a Dark Ring or a Dark Spiral, and that was how the Emperor had been conquering everything. He wasn't sure how it worked, but he had a theory, and if he was right he might be able to render the technology useless.

"Everyone, get ready, we've got company," Kari said, nodding to Yolei, "Ken, keep hidden, and Cody and Armadillomon, you stay close in case he's discovered."

Ken quietly slid through the branches of a thick, fernlike bush until he was completely hidden.

The Digimon Emperor, arms crossed, whip at his side, hovered ever closer. The digimon he rode was controlled by a black ring fastened around its neck, eyes gleaming with virulent red.

"Oh, look, it's the digi-dumbos," he glowered, "Come to interrupt my business again? When will you learn."

Ken struggled to see the Emperor through the plant when something tugged at his leg. "Ken? … Ken is it really you?" said the little green bug-thing. It looked at him like he was its mother or something.

"You're a digimon, aren't you" ken whispered. He knew he should keep quiet, but his curiosity got the better of him, "How do you know my name?"

"Because Ken," said the creature, "I'm YOUR digimon. I'm Wormmon."

"Worm-mon..." Ken repeated, lost in the thought. So he had a digimon, too? He should be watching the battle, but he had a hard time seeing anything through the thick branches, and moving them to get a better view would be risky. Ken could hear raised voices, he wasn't sure whose. He didn't like having to stay on the sidelines, but it only made sense that the Digidestined would want to keep their trump card hidden.

"Wormmon, what do you know about the Digimon Emperor?"

"I know that hiding from him is a very sensible idea," said the little 'mon, "He tends to enjoy hurting people a good deal more than I'm comfortable with."

Ken nodded a little, "What are his weaknesses? Can you tell me any?"

"He's as arrogant as they come," Wormmon scoffed, "As well as being needlessly cruel, he struts about like he's better than everyone and that other people aren't even fit to lick his boots."

"Good," said Ken, "Overconfidence. I can work with that. Anything else?"

"Don't underestimate this guy, Ken," said Wormmon, shaking, "He really is very smart. Just because he has blind spots around his ego doesn't mean we should go and put ourselves in harm's way."

"Of course. We won't make our real move until I have a safe, solid plan to work with."

Wormmon seemed reassured by that, "Glad to hear it, Ken. I just met you, and if I lost you now, I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Ken couldn't understand it, but he actually felt something for this pudgy little larva made of 0s and 1s, and the digimon obviously felt something for him, too. Wormmon seemed to be a sensible creature. He might make a good research assistant here in the digital world, once they could make it safe again.

"Look out!" the digimon shouted, pulling Ken from the bush just as a blast of fiery breath turned it into a pile of cinders.

"Stay behind me!" Yelled Cody, "Digmon will try to keep Tyrannamon away."

Ken's stumbled back at the sight of the fire-breathing dinosaur before them, kept at bay by what looked like a giant yellow insect. He had been told that the creatures could evolve, but this wasn't what he had envisioned the little armored thing might turn into.

There were other digimon battling too. The Chosen were trying their best to defend their position, but the Emperor had numbers on his side for this fight. If Ken had access to a computer right now, he thought, he might try disabling the control of the rings and spirals. As it was, even with a digimon of his own, things didn't look good.

And then everything clicked together perfectly in his mind, and he knew exactly what the best move would be in this situation.

Ken raised his arms, took off his shirt, and waived it right at the Digimon Emperor. "We surrender."

Even Wormmon looked surprised at that move. Ken had hoped his own digimon might understand his strategy, but apparently it didn't work that way.

Cody shot Ken a glare, "Are you serious!?"

"Hmm, how interesting, someone smart for a change," the Emperor quipped, guiding Airdramon to the spot where Ken and Wormmon stood.

As the Emperor came clearly into view, Ken's calm expression became one of shock.

"No! It can't be you!" Ken shouted, clenching his fists, "We thought you were dead!"

"What's going on, Ken, I thought we were surrendering?" Wormmon asked, "Generally in my experience, shouting isn't a very effective method of surrender."

"Sam!"

The Digimon Emperor looked down at his younger brother, "Ken. What are you doing here in my domain? Shouldn't you be at home with your parents?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Of all the things that you could say to me, after the years that you've been gone... after how much We've worried about you and missed you." Ken shook. He wanted so badly to tell his brother that he should have been at home with them too, but he bit back the words.

"I left you and your pathetic mother and father behind for good. What were you expecting from me now, a hug and some tears? Get over yourself."

"So you abandoned us to come here? Without even saying goodbye?"

"Obviously. I didn't care about any of you anymore," a wicked smile grew over the Emperor's face. "But since you're somehow resourceful enough to make it here on your own, and you're so willing to surrender, I guess I can make a place for you as my servant instead of sending you back to that world of irksome simpletons."

Ken had planned to flatter the Emperor, to submit himself, gain the Emperor's trust, and then strike. This flood of pent-up emotion was making that plan very difficult to stick to. Ken couldn't tell if he felt rage or sorrow or revulsion, but it made him sick inside.

"I've heard you built up quite a reputation here," Ken bowed deeply to his brother, trying not to let him see his eyes. The controlled digimon were keeping the others busy, and even Cody was just doing all he could to stand his ground against the attackers. "These children brought me here in the hopes that I could outwit you," Ken offered, "Of course, none of us knew who you really were."

The Digimon Emperor scoffed, "There is no trace left of the mere child you knew. I'm only the Digimon Emperor now, and you should address me as such or be punished. I don't have time for explanations now. Just follow me, and we'll discuss the terms of your servitude at my headquarters."

"Of course, Emperor." said Ken, following the figure in the deep blue cape onto the back of the flying digimon slave.

Wormmon crawled up next to the Airdramon and struggled in vain to climb aboard.

The digimon emperor looked down with a cruel laugh, "Oh, how precious. That's _your_ digimon, isn't it, Ken? HAHAHAHAHA! How fitting! A worm for a worm!"

Ken smiled warmly, helping wormmon onto the Airdramon's back. "Yes, Emperor." The Emperor, Sam, rather, was underestimating him just as planned. The trouble brewing in the pit of his stomach was that he might not be able to follow through with it. As many times as he had rehearsed in his mind how he might assassinate an evil dictator like Kim Jong Il or something, doing it to his brother was not something he was sure he could go through with. Ken wasn't sure if it was due to Wormmon's distraction or not, but Sam hadn't bothered to search him for weapons upon his surrender.

Of course, attacking Sam atop this digimon flying at least 100 feet above the ground would have been a very foolish idea in any case. He didn't know for sure how the control rings worked, and at that height, taking a risk could be a fatal mistake.

Though it did make it much easier to grovel, to submit, when Ken knew that he had an advantage hiding just beneath his jacket. For a moment he wondered if Wormmon had been only acting clueless about his plan. It's what Ken would have done in such a situation. If so, he excelled at the task, but the thought didn't linger.

Then the voice of the Digimon Emperor rang through the sky as an invisible stone base hovering above the ground materialized before them. "Impressed? You should be."

He actually was, "Most impressed, Emperor. How does it work?"

"Perhaps if you serve me well in the days to come, I'll let you in on some of my secrets."

Ken had little intention of spending much time as a captive. "I'd like that," he looked up as they passed through a small entrance.

A small voice inside of Ken was telling him this was the time. As they dismounted the Airdramon, Ken reached into his jacket, taking a deep breath, hoping that he wouldn't regret what he was about to do.

"What's that?!" The Emperor turned on his heel and faced him. Ken froze.

And, then, there it was, his way out, "I felt something strange in my jacket just now," he said, pulling the white D-3 Digivice from its folds, "Something that wasn't there before."

"Hmm," the Emperor looked put off, "It seems that the digital world would recognize my new servant with some small power of his own. But, just a precaution, I'm going to need you to take off your jacket and shirt, and hand over your pack of supplies to be searched. You understand of course."

Damn. This would be more difficult than Ken had hoped. He tried to look calm.

"I have a few things in the jacket for self-protection," he said casually, "And even more in the bag. Coming to a world full of monsters with no form of self defense isn't something I would ever do."

A couple of ring-clad servants watched Ken while another rabbit-looking one went through his belongings, tossing each one haphazardly out onto the floor of the base.

"Hey!" Ken clenched his teeth, "Be careful with those things!"

Among the items in Ken's jacket were a switchblade and a tiny can of pepper spray. In his pack were several chemicals that, while harmless on their own, could be used to make powerful explosives.

The Digimon Emperor raised an eyebrow. "You've grown up more than I would have expected of you."

Ken leaned back against a wall, beckoning Wormmon to his side, "I suppose someone had to try to fill your shoes back home."

"Don't you ever speak of that place as home again," the Emperor chided, "Or that family. We are here now. This is my world, and you are loyal to me, not to them. If that's hard for you to understand, I have ways of teaching you that you won't find pleasant."

"No, I was wrong to put it that way. What's past is past." The Emperor may have taken away Ken's weapons, but he hadn't discovered what Ken held within that was more deadly than any of these: the intellect that he had developed, and the cunning he was thrilled to finally flex.

Wormmon held onto Ken's leg, patting his calf sympathetically.

"And we'll have to do something about those clothes, if you're going to be seen with me," Sam said, "They're far too plain, and they don't fit with my color scheme. Maybe something in gold and black."

And at the back of Ken's mind, it ate at him that this was still Sam, even if Sam didn't admit it. Sam didn't need to, Ken saw it clearly. He would do his best to find a way to save his brother from himself, but if he could not, there was a world to save.

The Digimon Emperor eyed the white D-3 in his sights like a raptor. Glancing at his own black digivice in hand, it reminded him far too much of a game of chess.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well!" Huffed Yolei after they had finally finished the fight. "That's the last time we ever listen to one of Davis's brilliant plans."

"It's our fault. Ken felt overwhelmed. We should have told him more about the digital world before bringing him here," T.K. said. "What we should do now is begin a search and rescue mission."

Veemon's stomach rumbled, "I don't think we have the strength, after that fight. Even after the Digimon Emperor left, we almost didn't win."

Davis held up his arms, "You guys are looking at this all wrong. Do I have to spell it out for you? Ken Ichijouchi is a GENIUS. G-e-e-n-yus! And if he doesn't know what he's doing, nobody does. Have a little faith." He pulled a pouch of lemonade out of his pack, took a swig and passed it to Veemon.

Cody sounded worried, "I couldn't hear everything he said, but it looked like like he had some kind of personal connection with the Emperor. Like he knew who he was or something. That could be very bad."

Yolei shook her head, "Oh great, as if one Digimon Emperor wasn't enough. What are we going to do if there are two of them now?!"

"Ken's not like that," Davis protested, "I know him. He's a good person, and he wouldn't hurt anybody. Besides, he's got more guts than all of you put together if he's planning an attack from inside the Emperor's base on his own. Until we know what's going on, I think we should stop talking about him behind his back."

"Well we were losing when he surrendered," Kari admitted, "Maybe he was just scared, or maybe he thought that if he gave himself up and diverted the Emperor's attention, the rest of us could win."

"What a stubborn person," Yolei put a finger to her cheek, "And to think I was actually going to ask him out..."

"Whatever we decide," Kari said, "We're going to have to go back to the real world to have supper and replenish our strength. Maybe we can sneak back into the digital world later tonight for our rescue operation."

"There's just one problem with that idea, Kari," Yolei pointed out, "We don't even know where the Digimon Emperor's base is hidden!"

Davis wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he _was_ worried for Ken. The sooner they could find him and help him out, the better.

* * *

The Digimon Emperor sat in his control room watching Wormmon and Ken on one of the monitors. They were resting in the quarters they were assigned, waiting for the dinner they had been promised. He hadn't thought that he would see his little brother again. Looking back, Ken was much less irritating than their mother and father had been. Ken was just a child when Sam knew him. Though sometimes Ken would try to play with Sam's things, or cry needlessly, at least he treated him with the respect he deserved. Sam's parents had put him on display like an object, like a trophy for something they didn't deserve. His achievements, his intellect, his superiority in every way did not belong to them. It made his blood boil to think back at all the times they held him out like a piece of bait, fishing for praise from the degenerate masses...

If Ken had earned a reputation among his peers as smart enough to take down someone like him, then there was no doubt in Sam's mind that his brother had been going through the same infuriating experience at home.

So Ken should be grateful for this. Ken should want out of that mess as much as Sam had. Maybe he had agreed to help the Digidestined for just such an escape. Sam always remembered Ken as a mild, submissive sort of person. He hadn't contradicted that with his actions today, but he did seem different. More practical, perhaps. The Ken he knew wouldn't have brought explosives or weapons, granted _that_ Ken was a five year old boy.

And then there was Ken's digivice, and his digimon partner. He thought it best to keep the digivice locked up with Ken's other weapons until he might need Ken to use them. He didn't think that a worm digimon could do much harm even if it could evolve under the control spires somehow, but he wasn't going to take a needless chance. That wasn't how one conquered the world.

But looking at his brother's digimon partner, even if it was just a worm, made him surge with jealousy. He was the Digimon Emperor. He had everything he wanted—or should have anyway. All the digimon he surveyed would be under his control, but... his digimon partner had never showed up. He had the dark digivice, and knew that his partner must be out there somewhere, but it was taking its dear sweet time getting to him. The Digimon Emperor smashed a fist onto the desk. At this point, he might have even taken a worm digimon just for this emptiness to go away.


	4. Chapter 4

_Somewhere very far away, a man in a long overcoat could not hold back the flood of blood-chilling laughter._

* * *

Ken stared in the mirror at the new set of clothes the Digimon Emperor had provided for him. They weren't half as pompous looking as the Emperor's own clothes, but they didn't look like anything that Ken would have chosen to wear either. The shirt was black and form-fitting, made out of some kind of reinforced digital Lycra. It had small gold-colored shoulder protectors, but Ken could tell by their weight that they were colored steel rather than actual gold. The sides of the shirt were a woven gold color as well. There was a black belt with a small gold buckle and hooks for keeping supplies. The pants were black and form-fitting Lycra as well, and came with a pair of sturdy black steel-toed boots.

Ken wanted the clothes to feel uncomfortable or look awkward, to reject them entirely with his mind and body. Unfortunately, they made him look like a rock star, and were ideal for the whole range of body movements. Wormmon even told him he was handsome before quickly adding, "No matter what you wear."

Ken realized something was off about the belt as he ran his hands over it. It was comfortable, to be sure, but it was a strange texture. It wasn't simple leather or anything like that. It had hard components inside. His mind snapped to the realization that this could be something like a control ring. He took off the belt to examine it closely. Inside the leather, he could feel hard plates about 2 centimeters long. He wanted to see what they looked like, but couldn't do so without ruining the belt. He did not feel any wires.

He realized that it had been a mistake to try to stay in the digital world. He should have said so to Kari when danger approached. Instead of fending off the enemy, they should have fallen back to the human world and regrouped. He let his curiosity cost them. He wouldn't let it cost him the war.

He wasn't sure if the other children had won their part of the fight or not, but there was no mention among the Emperor's minions of any captive or defeated enemies. He hoped that the others had been able to retreat safely. Would they try to come after him? He wished he had left contingency instructions for something like this. He hoped they wouldn't do anything stupid, but with Davis as their self-proclaimed leader, he really couldn't be sure.

"Ken, is everything alright? What's on your mind?" Wormmon asked, scuttling up close to him.

"Nothing important," Ken smiled, "I'm just not a belt person. This would probably look better on you."

Wormmon could tell that Ken wasn't being truthful, but to be nice, he tried the belt around his tail.

"Glamorous," he muttered halfheartedly.

"Eh, I think I'll just leave it here on the desk and ask the Emperor if I can have pockets instead."

Ken sat back on the bed and held Wormmon close to him as he thought things over. He wasn't officially a prisoner, but he felt like one when his things had been taken away. The dinner that arrived for them was simple noodles in a thin sauce with steamed cabbage. He had been instructed not to interrupt the Digimon Emperor's work, and that an escort would follow him if he decided to wander. Ever since finding out that the Digimon Emperor was his brother, his mind hadn't been working right. He was glad now that he wasn't able to go through with his first attack. What could he have been thinking? He had tried so hard not to let the Digimon Emperor's identity throw him off that he had aggressively overcompensated. He acted with the exact opposite of the care that he should have. He didn't want to miss his chance, but his chance to do what? Kill his own brother? Injure him to the point that he wasn't a threat? He needed to get a hold of his emotions and think.

Ken took a deep breath in and out over the hot noodles, holding the bowl balanced on his knees, under his chin. If only he could telepathically communicate with Wormmon, he'd tell him to look for bugs or cameras in the room. He needed to be patient. At the right time, he could get to the control room or somewhere with a computer. If that failed, maybe the generator room. A base like this didn't run on being dark and mysterious.

He was wary about being controlled, too. The others said that the rings hadn't worked on humans so far, but that was a small reassurance at best. He needed to act quickly and gather as much information as possible.

A Veggiemon popped its head into Ken's quarters, "Enjoying the soup?"

Ken had an idea.

"Enjoying it? You've got to be kidding. With noodles like _these?_ I've had better soup from a petrol station."

Wormmon thought it unsettling how intimidating Ken could seem in his new clothes.

The Veggiemon turned a brighter shade of red, "Hey, what do you mean by that, you human punk? You think you can do better?"

Wormmon looked up from his bowl, "Ken, let's not start a fight over the soup today."

Ken ignored his small green friend, "I know I can do better," he said proudly. "My Alphabet Soup is better than anyone's in the human world and of course that means better than anyone's here in the digital world too. Far better than anything you could possibly make for me, so don't bother trying to measure up to _my_ standards."

Veggiemon seemed to be evolving into Steamed Veggiemon for a minute there. "We'll just see about that! I'll make you an alphabet soup that will have your drool drooling for more!"

"I seriously doubt you could do it..."

"Fine then, I will!" The Veggiemon took the bowl from Ken's knees and slammed the door as it left.

Ken chuckled to Wormmon. "I feel like stretching my legs now. Want to come along?"

Wormmon nodded with a confused look, and they stepped out into the expanse of the Digimon Emperor's floating lair, followed at an awkward distance by a Monochromon with enormous red eyes.

Wormmon clung to ken's leg, tiny pods shivering at the sight of the intimidating digimon behind them, "Maybe it would have been less trouble just to stay in there. I tend to be a little nervous in situations like this."

Ken picked up Wormmon in his arms and kept walking forward, "Don't worry. It won't hurt you." Ken lowered his voice and spoke close to his digimon, "I wouldn't let the brute so much as try."

Wormmon felt the warm glow of Ken's kidness in his cephalothorax. He could feel it coming from somewhere else too—the white digivice! He could feel its location deep inside.

He leaned very close to Ken's ear and whispered as quietly as he could, "I know where we need to go."


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as dinner was over, Davis explained that he had "A lot of homework to catch up on" and that he was "Way behind on a bunch of stuff." Jun rolled her eyes at him, though his family had no trouble believing that he had put off his studies. He locked the door to his room and climbed carefully through the window, heading for the road behind his house.

The plan was to rendezvous at T.K.'s father's place. It wasn't exactly a central location, but T.K. told them his dad already knew about the digital world, and would agree to help. Before they separated, T.K. planned to have his father pick each of them up in his T.V. station van near their houses. It wouldn't exactly be safe to be out by the road in the dark, but no one could come up with a better plan.

The sun had completely set, and all Davis could see of the passing vehicles were their headlights. He had to stay visible, and more than once, a car slowed down to ask if he was alright. After what seemed like forever, the T.V. station van pulled up next to Davis and let him in. He took a seat in the back between T.K. and Kari.

Yolei was already there too, and Mr. Ishida said that Cody had convinced his grandfather to give him a ride to their house. T.K. had filled his father in on the whole situation, and the evening's urgent rescue plan. Mr. Ishida said that of course he would do whatever he could to help.

"After all, you kids saved the world once. It's the least I can do." He smiled, but he looked very tired.

Davis was trying not to think about it, but the deck was definitely stacked against them that night. They might search until sunrise in the human world and not find a trace of Ken or the Emperor's base. But he knew, and he could tell that T.K. and the others knew as well that they had to try. They couldn't give up just because things seemed hard. They'd done difficult things before, after all. If he believed the stories T.K. and Kari told, some of them had even done the impossible. Davis wouldn't just roll over and let T.K. one-up him without trying the impossible himself a time or two.

* * *

Another three spires erected, another piece of the digital world in his grasp. Today was, overall, one of the Emperor's better ones. Now he sat back in his swivel chair thinking about what exactly he could do to make his little brother useful. There were plenty of things that still needed done in the digital world, even in the places already under his control. He would assign a task that wouldn't be too difficult, and would be of little consequence if his brother turned out to be disloyal.

A strange feeling, burrowing deep in the Emperor's brain, told him that he should get rid of Ken now while he was still weak. Sometimes at night he would have strange thoughts that he couldn't explain, and as his power expanded these episodes grew only more frequent. Sam was aware that these feelings had no rational basis. Ken hadn't stepped out of line at all yet, and he seemed to hold onto the sentimentality of their brotherhood. If that were true, he would be easily controlled. There was a chance that with the proper training and conditioning, Ken could be a powerful asset to his forces. A human with a digivice, the Emperor had learned, was a power in the world not to be ignored. Even a maggot Digidestined.

The Digimon Emperor was willing to take the chance on Ken, he decided. If his brother proved to be a traitor, or wasn't useful, he could crush him and his little bug at any time that he wished.

* * *

Ken wasn't sure what Wormmon's plan was, but he trusted his partner's judgment just as he hoped that Wormmon would trust his. The winding passages of the base might have confused Ken if he hadn't practiced a method for memorizing patterns like this. He tried it last year on the loom of walkways in Tokyo, and repeated the process virtually to learn the streets of several major cities. There weren't road signs in the Digimon Emperor's lair, but the tunnels were still distinct from each other if one paid careful attention.

One marked difference they found in a tunnel was that it split off into a sort of balcony. Below, they could see what looked like a pit arena, but the lights were all turned off.

"What's that down there?" Ken asked the Monochromon.

It only growled.

"Not very helpful," he muttered. Ken put Wormmon down and peered over the edge to look more closely. "Wormmon, can you see what's down there?"

"Um... yes. And Ken, I don't like what I see one little bit," he squirmed.

Ken strained his eyes in the darkness. He thought he saw the glint of steel bars, like a cage.

"What do you see?" he asked.

"Digimon. Crowded into cells, and covered in bruises. I don't want to think about it."

"So the Emperor keeps digimon to fight for his amusement?" Ken stroked his chin. "Seems like a waste of resources, to me, unless the control rings don't work on everyone."

Wormmon paced back and forth on the railing, furrowing his brow, "There are still fragments of data floating in the air here from digimon that didn't survive. I can smell it. It makes me sick. Can't we keep moving?"

Ken stroked Wormmon's head to comfort him and took him back into his arms.

"Wormmon," Ken asked, "What happens to a digimon when it dies?"

"Generally the digimon's data scatters. It's absorbed by the world around it and reconfigured later in the Primary Village as an egg."

Ken let out a breath, "So not gone forever?"

"No, but it's still painful and an awful fright. Doing something like this to captives is very wrong."

"Hmm. You're right, we should keep moving," Ken nodded.

The Monochromon let out a deep grunt as they started back down the hallway.

Before long, they came to a large door guarded by two digimon with control rings. One had hands and a head that looked like different kinds of blossoms, and one looked like it was chiseled out of gray stone.

"Halt," said the flower digimon with an eerie lack of inflection, "This area is restricted."

"Restricted?" Ken repeated, hoping to gain any additional information that he could, since this was the spot that Wormmon's directions lead them to.

"Yes. Master has told us not to let anyone inside, and besides, the safe is locked."

"Oh, so it's a safe," Ken smiled, leaning back, "and you're just low-level thugs so you don't know the combination, I see."

They gave a synchronized nod. Apparently Ken's little mind tricks wouldn't get him what he wanted this time.

"Now keep moving," said the rock digimon, "We have our orders."

The Monochromon nudged Ken in the back with its horn. He took a few steps forward and turned back only to feel the hot breath of Monochromon's angry roar. Ken quickly decided not to investigate the safe any further for now. It was getting late anyway. Wormmon's eyes were drooping. They could both use some rest.


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: Brief depiction of torture ahead. It's not much, but it's there. If you don't want to see it, stop reading after the first section here and skip to the next chapter.**

* * *

When Ken and Wormmon returned to their quarters, they found a bowl of soup in a warmer on the table. Excellent. The Veggiemon had played into his hands perfectly. This would be an unnecessary precaution if he wasn't being watched, but it was better to play it safe.

"I'm glad this is here," Ken faked a sniffle, "I think I'm fighting off a cold." He yawned. The yawn was real. He unrolled some tissue from the bathroom and folded it up in his hand, covering his nose in a convincing stifled sneeze.

"Ugh, let's go to bed. This day has been taxing." Ken removed his boots and took the soup from the warmer. He scrunched up and pulled the thick quilt over his head. Wormmon cuddled up under a blanket next to his feet.

Slowly, carefully, he drained the warm broth into his lips, sighing with satisfaction. When it was all gone, he took the letter shaped noodles and folded them into his tissue. He wanted to use them to give Wormmon his message tonight, but the comfortable bed underneath him made a most compelling argument for sleep. Usually he would lie in bed for a long time before his mind could shut down, but tonight Ken thought only of the gentle snore of his digimon in the last moments before he fell asleep.

* * *

The Digimon Emperor couldn't rest. He swiveled back and forth in his chair, fidgeting, noting down ideas and plans. His eyes were dry, but he kept going. Sometimes he would switch to the monitor showing his brother sleeping peacefully, just to be sure. He tried to keep himself busy, but didn't seem to be making much progress at present.

Maybe blowing off some steam would get him to sleep that night. If nothing else, it would be a welcome diversion. He stood up from his chair and pulled the whip from his belt. It was such a pleasant sensation to hold it in his hand, like an extension of himself that should have always been there. It was certain to evoke delicious yowls of torment for his pleasure again tonight.

With a wicked grin, he made his way to the digimon holding cells. At the very end of the hallway he kept the digimon that were most obstinate and had broken out of their rings and spirals on multiple occasions.

"Well, well, well," he mused aloud, "Who will be my lucky playmate this evening? Hmmm..." He ran his hands over the doors of many cells. Chains clanked inside, and massive Digimon pounded against the walls surrounding them, but it only thrilled the Emperor to hear them struggle in vain against him. "I think... Leomon!" he said into the darkness. He waved an arm and one of the cell doors swept open, revealing a battered lion digimon. His neck, wrists, ankles, and torso were all chained to the black stone wall. He was still fearsome to behold even though his face and body were covered in scars, and portions of his mane had been ripped out.

"Good evening, Leomon, it's so good to see you again," the Emperor crooned, "I've come to put another dark spiral on you and see if you'll bend before my will this time. I do so very much hope you still intend to resist," his violet eyes gleamed with malice as he pulled the whip tight between his two hands.

He unleashed the evil spiral. It twisted around Leomon's arm and dug into his flesh. The creature cried out with a fearsome roar and fought against the Emperor's darkness with all that he had. The struggle dragged on for minutes. The Emperor watched with interest, as if Leomon had been lecturing on some fascinating subject. The digimon's eyes flashed red and back to brilliant, defiant blue countless times before the spiral fractured and clattered to the ground, useless.

Leomon had taken 3 minutes longer to shake the spiral off this time. Perhaps this was some small measure of progress.

Leomon's breathing was heavy. "You'll never break my spirit," the lion digimon wheezed, "My soul will defy the evil in this world until not a scrap of my data remains."

"Good. Then you'll stay here in my dungeon and rot while I make sure you feel pain beyond your most horrid nightmares. One of us is the winner here no matter what, Leomon, and I think it's obvious to both of us that it isn't _you._ "

The Emperor lashed out at full force with the fury of his whip, lacerating Leomon across the lower abdomen, legs, and chest. A rush of euphoria filled him as the enormous digimon shouted and wailed. "Yessss," purred the seductive voice that echoed inside of him, "Embrace it. Feel the darkness surging through you and awaken the beast of your destiny!"

A Frigimon with a dark ring ran into the cell, panting. It bent down, leaning its hands on its knees, and bowed. "Sire, the Digidestined have just entered the eighth sector."

The Emperor threw his whip at the Frigimon with a fury, "WHAT?! How DARE those Digidestined interrupt me now! Isn't it past their bedtime? Well..." He took slow steps forward, picked up the whip, and kicked Frigimon in the kneecap. "I'll just have to come up with something EXTRA diabolical for them this time."

"Y-yes, master," the Frigimon coughed.

The Emperor turned to Leomon through the cell door, "And don't think I've forgotten about you, my little pet. The next meal I serve you will be prepared fresh from the corpses of those five meddlesome human children! AHAHAHAHA!"

The cell slammed shut. Leomon only groaned and shut his eyes, hoping that his friends could stay strong, even as he felt himself faltering in this abysmal place.

The Emperor spun into the chair of his command chamber with a flourish, bringing up video feed from the 8th sector. "Hmmmmmm..." he grinned, flipping a switch to record himself, "I have a special instruction broadcast for all Bakemon tonight. Now, you whelps, pay attention the first time because this won't be repeated..."


	7. Chapter 7

"This is going to be a lot harder than we thought, isn't it? I can barely see my hand in front of my face," Yolei groaned when she landed in the darkness of the digital world with the others.

"It would have been a lot easier if you turned on your flashlight before we got here," said Davis

"Yeah, yeah, I was just conserving battery power," She sighed and fidgeted with her helmet-mounted L.E.D. Light. "Cody's lucky, he's got all the _best_ gear and it doesn't even fit him! My mining helmet hasn't been used in ages."

Cody lowered his night vision goggles into place, "This equipment used to be my father's. There's no way I'm letting anyone else use it."

"Come on everyone, we need to focus," T.K. reminded them. "Kari and I have been in the digital world at night before, but this is new to the rest of you. Stay alert, and stay in your groups. Remember, Davis, you're coming with me. Cody and Yolei will go with Kari. If you get separated, don't continue the mission alone. Find shelter and try to lie low until it's light."

"Got it!" Davis said, and they all nodded.

"If you find Ken, or the Digimon Emperor's base, send us a message via D-terminal, and we'll group up at your coordinates before moving in," Kari reminded them. "Everyone ready."

Cody took a deep breath and sighed, "As ready as we'll ever be."

Davis put his hands up, "Come on guys, let's do this! I didn't drink a 30 ounce coffee so I could stand around all night!"

Pegasusmon carried T.K. and Davis into the night, and Nefertimon took Kari and the others in the opposite direction.

* * *

The Digimon Emperor fell asleep at his control terminal after instructing the Bakemon and other digimon with their special orders for the night. He had intended to reinforce some of the areas around the 8th sector, but even maniacal overlords can't stay awake forever. His dreams had always been strange, so it was not out of the ordinary that he dreamed of walking hand in hand with his brother deep into a tunnel with no light at the end. He wouldn't remember it when he woke up, anyway.

* * *

"So, um, I was thinking," Davis said to T.K. as they used the lights they brought to search across the landscape, "If I were a genius in the Digital World, where would I be? Think about it. When Ken surrendered, he wasn't chained up or anything. He might have been able to just walk out of the Emperor's base once the evil jerk fell asleep!"

"I seriously doubt that," T.K. shook his head, "Remember, the Emperor is smart too. Maybe almost as smart as Ken. I don't think he'd just let someone see the inside of his base and head back to tell all his buddies all about it."

Davis grimaced, "Anyway, what I was _saying_ is that I would want to go somewhere really high up with a good vantage point, so I could watch for anyone coming or going."

"That's better than no ideas," T.K. conceded, "We can check the peaks and cliff-sides first."

"I'm on it," Pegasusmon said to them, ascending into the dark sky.

Davis was almost thrown from his seat by a sharp swerve. T.K.'s digimon failed to see a looming mountainside ahead while the search lights were pointed below.

"Woah, slow down there, hot shot!" Davis yelled, "I don't wanna know what it's like to drop from this height. I can't even see how far we are from the ground," he swallowed hard.

"Just try to keep at least one of the lights trained ahead of me," Pegasusmon replied, "And you'd better zip up your jackets, we'll enter snowfall soon at this altitude."

They flew on into the cold of the night, calling out and searching everywhere they could. The few times they thought they saw something, it turned out to be only the same burrow of sleeping digimon. It seemed they had been flying in circles.

"... Maybe a genius _wouldn't_ actually make camp on top of a snowy mountain... for a vantage point... in the dark," Davis admitted with a shiver.

"Hey, wait a minute!" T.K. flashed his search light back onto a tiny patch of color against a gray peak in the distance, "There's something else out there!"

"I don't see anything. All I see is that it's cold as hell!" Davis said folding his arms, trying to peer through the snow ahead.

"Well you wouldn't be far from the mark, Davis," Pegasusmon said to him, "It looks like Icedevimon down there... and something bright I can't make out. Should we swoop in closer?"

T.K. clenched his fists, "We should get a good look at what else is down there, but if it's just trouble, we shouldn't stick around."

"Right," Pegasusmon dived toward the peak. The bright colors T.K. had seen from a distance were slowly coming into view as well.

The Icedevimon floated soundlessly back into one of the valleys below when it saw them approach.

"Hey! I think it's Wormmon down there!" Veemon cried.

"Pegasusmon, land here!" Davis shouted. Not waiting for the landing, he and Veemon jumped into the powdery snow below. What Davis saw shining his flashlight ahead froze him in place; he couldn't breathe. Veemon gasped.

Blood. It seeped through and pooled into eerie blotches where it had melted the snow. The green figure was Wormmon.

Davis took a step forward, his heart faltering, and he stumbled down to his knees. Scraps of cloth, white stained with red, were strewn across the ground. This hadn't been a fight, it was a slaughter. There were bits of human flesh, organs... entrails were everywhere... his abdomen had been shredded open and flayed out. His left arm had been torn from its socket and was lying limp two feet from the rest of his body. The limbs that remained were sprawled, bent or broken, into unnatural positions. His hair parted in a matted purple mess where the skull had been split. His eyes were empty, his lips were blue, Ken Ichijouchi was definitely dead.

Davis's stomach churned in abject disgust.

"Ken," Davis choked, but the small sound his voice could make was swallowed by the howling winds.

Wormmon was sobbing over what remained of his partner. He was badly bruised, and Ken's blood was painted all over the front of his exoskeleton. Veemon wrapped him in a firm hug, muttering something.

Pegasusmon and T.K. came in for a landing beside them, taking in the grisly details for themselves.

Davis buried his face in his hands. It was too late. His mind was racing to regret everything that lead up to these moments. They should never have gone home to have dinner. They should have stayed in the digital world until they brought Ken back safely. It was his fault that Ken had come here. It was his fault that Ken had been captured. His fault that he died. His fault. His fault...

Davis screamed against the lashing wind as tears ran down from his eyes. He turned his face away from Ken's cold, pale body. He didn't want to look at what he had allowed to happen to his friend. He clenched his teeth and bent his head down into the snow. Darkness surrounded him.

He could hear T.K. saying something in the distance, but it sounded like nothing but white noise. Davis felt more than cold. He felt broken and empty. He had failed his friends completely. Ken was dead and the Digimon Emperor would soon rule the entire digital world, because of Davis's inadequacy.

"Davis... Davis... DAVIS!" T.K. was shouting. Davis felt far away.


	8. Chapter 8

Cody, Yolei and Kari had been searching by the river. In the harsh glow of one of their search lamps, They caught a glimpse of someone they thought was Ken between two old trees. When they approached him, they saw that he was hurt very badly. His breathing was shallow, he was missing an eye, and he was bruised all over. Kari felt his ribs and said they must have been broken. Somehow, he was still standing upright with his back against a tree. He didn't speak. They presumed he didn't have the strength. He signaled them forward with gestures, stumbling forward through the forest brush. Before they could realize what was happening, enemy digimon surrounded them.

"That's not Ken! That's not Ken at all!" Cody shouted as the figure transformed into a Bakemon with ghoulish cackles.

"Hurry, we must fly," Nefertimon called them to her, but a horde of Flymon filled the sky.

"Quick Hawkmon, armor digivolve!" Yolei commanded. The bird digimon nodded and in a flash of light, Halsemon appeared to take on the enemy.

"You too, Armadillomon, protect our friends." said Cody. Digmon burst into life, immediately countering the enemy's offensive with a Gold Rush attack.

The Flymon were swarming Nefertimon viciously, stinging her wings and tail. She was already drained of energy from flying the rest of them around to search, and didn't have much strength left to defend herself. Halsemon cut some of the Flymon down with a Mach Impulse, but more were swooping in from above.

"There are too many of them," Digmon buzzed, "We can't take them all down. Our best chance is just to break through their ranks and escape."

"Right," said Cody, "The three of us will fly out on Nefertimon. You and Halsemon can make an opening for us. When we're clear, force your way through after us and just keep heading forward."

He pulled himself onto Nefertimon's back and she glided away to pick up Kari and Yolei. Before they could escape, a horde of Meramon came blazing through the trees.

"Aah! We're cut off again! Rosetta Stone!" Nefertimon hissed, firing slabs of ancient rock at the enemies.

"Halsemon, help!" Yolei shrieked. Trees were catching fire all around them.

"Look out Nefertimon!" said Cody, pointing up at a flaming branch falling down on top of them. It struck one of their search lamps with a crash, and singed Cody's leg.

Halsemon came whipping through the Meramon with a Tempest Wing. "Hurry! This is your only chance!"

Nefertimon shot forward and blasted past the remaining ambushers into the cold, dismal sky. Cody screamed out in pain, clutching his leg. "Aaaagh! It hurts so much!" He tried to bite back the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Digmon... is he coming after us?"

"Neither of them have made it out yet," Yolei's voice trembled.

"Yolei, you can reach Cody better than I can back there," Kari said, "Take this and tend to his injury. Nefertimon, I'm sorry. The others will have to break out of this on their own, just keep flying.

"I don't like it," Nefertimon said, shaking her head, "I don't like this one bit, but you're right. If we go back there, none of you children will make it out again. We'll just have to hope that Digmon and Halsemon can get free."

* * *

T.K. and Veemon carried Davis carefully on Pegasusmon's back as they braved the valley of snow to find shelter. They came upon an open cave in the ice and ducked inside, at least thankful to get out of the harsh weather. Pegasusmon guarded the entrance against any enemies that might find them hiding there.

"What's wrong with him?!" Veemon wailed, "Davis, it was fake... it was a trick! It was all fake! Please, buddy, wake up!" The tiny blue digimon prodded his partner, slapped him, screamed in his ears, and squeezed him with all of his might, but Davis would not wake up. His eyes were empty, but he was still breathing.

"Hmm... his pulse seems normal," T.K. said, resting against the cave wall, "I think he's just in shock." He held Davis close to keep him warm. "Veemon, we should have a thermal blanket in the satchel across Pegasusmon's back."

"Veemon let out a small squeak and ran for the satchel so fast that he slipped forward across the icy cave floor head-first into Pegasusmon's back legs.

While Veemon took care of Davis, T.K. pulled out his D-Terminal to send a message to the others about what happened. He could hardly believe the extent of the Emperor's audacity. He knew they had returned to the digital world to look for Ken at the expense of their sleep, their next day of school, and the consequences of these things on their lives in the real world. He was taunting them in the worst possible way. The message T.K. received back from Kari explained that their group had run into a fake Ken too.

A rumbling sound echoed from the depths of the ice cave. "Uh oh," Veemon sighed, "what now?"

"It's me," Hissed a chilling voice, "Hyogamon. And this is MY cave."

"We're very sorry to have invaded your cave, Hyogamon," T.K. quickly apologized, "But we didn't see anywhere else to get out of the cold."

"Eh? Do my eyes deceive me in the dimness of this night? Are you human children?"

"Well, some of us," T.K. said, standing up.

Hyogamon laughed, "Ogremon told me all about his exploits with you human children and his enemy, Leomon. He has also told me that in recent times, you are some of the few who stand up to the child who calls himself a Digimon Emperor." Hyogamon spat at the words. "Digimon Emperor indeed. That maniac doesn't deserve the title. He isn't even a digimon. He treats digimon as if we're garbage. Well..." Hyogamon held up his arm, "take a look at this," he said with a smirk.

"Wah! A dark ring!" Veemon reeled back at the sight, "But I don't understand. How can you have a dark ring and hate the Digimon Emperor?"

"These bits of broken Dark Ring are pasted together with swamp tar. I have a brilliant Shellmon to thank for the idea. With this, I can move in and out of the Emperor's territories without being noticed. It makes a convincing fake, wouldn't you say?"

"Wow," T.K. said, "Hyogamon, that is a good plan."

"Heh. A few of us have banded together, so to speak, and are calling ourselves a resistance. Ogremon is a part of it too. There aren't many of us. Most digimon don't have the tusks for it. But those that do aren't going to just put our hands up and surrender to some human child... no offense to human children of course. We can't argue with what _your_ group is doing."

"I see..." T.K. said, "Then you'll let us stay the night here? Our friend Davis here is unconscious and we're absolutely lost."

"Of course I will," Hyogamon grunted, scratching his leg, "I'll even take a look at your friend and see what I can do, if you promise to kick the Digimon Emperor right between the legs for me, as hard as you can. I'm no vaccine type but I know a thing or two about how to survive in the cold."

"It's a deal," said T.K.

"Just wait until I get my claws on that Digimon Emperor," Veemon snarled, "I'll hit him so hard there'll be nothing left!"

"I admire your spirit, little sprite," Hyogamon knelt beside Davis, "But tonight, I think your friend needs your warmth. The time for our wrath will come, and _then,_ " he grinned, "Ohhhh, then, it will come with a vengeance."


	9. Chapter 9

The cold had disappeared, but the darkness was all around. Davis started to regain vision. He felt heavy, but it was as if he could see or sense things in all directions around him. He was in some sort of stone cave or cavern, and there was something large and foreboding in the center. At first, Davis couldn't feel his arms or his legs, but he didn't really care. What good were arms and legs anymore? What good was anything? There was no longer a chance to be happy, no longer a chance for hope now that Ken was dead... so why was he holding on? Davis found something deeper and stronger than his despair gnawing at the inside of his belly. It wouldn't let his energy dissolve into the black abyss that swallowed everything, not yet. Not until he could drag Icedevimon and the Digimon Emperor down with him. The dark manifestation of Davis strained to stand up and screamed with boiling rage.

"How unexpected," a smooth voice rang through Davis's ears and echoed in his soul. "Who are you, human child, to tread so close to the chasm, and yet escape the pit?"

Davis looked up. A tree. The thing in the center of the room was a withered old tree. A single branch, like an arm, hung from the side. At the end of the branch was some kind of draconic head, swallowing a thick cloud of something black. He hated the sight of it, but it was hard to look away.

"Answer me!" the voice demanded.

Davis hesitated for a few seconds, shaking, then struck the ground with a fist, "I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO I AM!"

Davis's body vibrated as the voice laughed a full-bodied, derisive chortle of amusement. "You children never cease to impress me with your power and determination. I was arrogant once, but I've learned much since the time that I underestimated your kind. I would be a fool to make the same mistake twice."

The words themselves were transient. Only the sounds, the tones, the reverberations of the voice stayed with Davis and remained a part of him, adding to the unnatural weight that pulled him down. He struggled to keep from falling on his knees.

"You're useless to me!" Davis grunted, kicking the base of the old tree, "Stupid withered thing, can't help me destroy the Emperor. I'll do it myself, with my bare hands!"

He clenched his fists and slowly, deliberately stomped out of the chamber. He still felt heavier and heavier, but he was doing all he could to keep going.

* * *

Ken was shocked abruptly out of his dream by the sound of a cracking whip.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and world domination," the Digimon Emperor said, pulling back the cover over Ken's head.

Ken rubbed his eyes.

"Oh, alright, I lied about the eggs. We're on a strict diet of world domination this morning," the Emperor admitted with a note of glee.

"Five more minutes," Wormmon groaned.

"You can sleep all you want when you're dead," the Emperor said, without any real intentionality behind the threat. "It's 4 A.M., Ken, and if you and your digimon want to keep up with being my underlings, you'd best learn to adhere to my schedule."

Ken blinked and took a deep breath. He hadn't had a chance to communicate his plans with Wormmon using the alphabet soup letters, and the Emperor was already mobilizing them. What was he thinking, getting them up this early... unless... perhaps some threat came in the night?

"Alright. Give us five minutes to get ready, and we'll report," Ken agreed. He hoped that the emperor might leave the room, but he had no such luck.

"Make it two minutes," the Digimon Emperor ordered, "Well? Get moving!"

Ken discretely stuffed the napkin-shrouded noodle letters into his pillowcase while tossing his blankets aside. He pulled his boots on, laced them up, combed his hair and checked that Wormmon was feeling alright before reporting that he was ready. He really hoped that the Emperor's slaves didn't try to wash his sheets today. He was losing time, and all time he lost, the enemy gained.

The Digimon Emperor lead them down a few empty hallways and through some secret doors in the walls on direct path to his control room.

"Wormmon, you will wait outside. I have business to discuss only with Ken," said the Emperor.

Wormmon looked at his partner for some indication.

"It's okay, do what he says," Ken reassured him, "I'll be just fine."

Ken did think it seemed strange, though. What would the Emperor want to say to him that he wouldn't say in front of Wormmon?

The two Ichijouchi brothers stepped inside, and the heavy steel door slid shut.

So this was the control station, Ken thought to himself. It had an arching wall of monitors managed by many intricate keys and switches. He thought the main unit looked like it could be a standard keyboard without the letters labeled, though.

The Digimon Emperor turned to face him, "The Digidestined children came after you in the night, risking a dangerous search to appease their foolish emotional attachments to you, no doubt thinking you were in danger without any good reason to believe so."

"They did?" Ken felt like he should have known. He should have predicted that they were the kind of people would try to help and opted for an alternate course of action. Then again, hindsight was perfect, but he couldn't change the past. An awful thought entered his mind. He had been gone all night. His parents would be missing him by now. He had been so caught up in planning, in focusing on defeating the Emperor, that he didn't give a second thought about the people who loved him. He had no idea how long he would need to remain in the digital world before he could gain the upper hand. His parents had been devastated by the loss of Sam. He abandoned them without so much as a note telling them goodbye. Now, thanks to Ken's hasty power play, it would seem like they were losing him the same way.

Sam nodded to his brother, "You will learn in time that these kind of people operate a certain way, and the word 'optimization' is just not in their vocabulary when such attachments are involved. I'm pleased to see that you are at least not encumbered by this mental deficit. You haven't tried to get me to feel anything for you again. You've treated me only as your Emperor, as you should. You even served to lure the Digidestined here last night to weaken them, even though that was not your plan. You've been only useful to me so far and not burdensome at all..."

"Of course I have been, Emperor, why shouldn't I be?" Ken folded his arms, "When I heard there was an entire undocumented world full of digital monsters, my primary instinct was that I had to explore it for myself. I want to be here, I want to learn about digimon and how this world works. I want to solve its mysteries and explore its terrain... and of course, the only way to do that is to yield to the strongest power here. When in the digital world, do as the digimon do. That includes my deference to you, Emperor." It was a plausible motive that might have been the truth if Ken had abandoned his morals to indulge his curiosity. He knew better than to mention anything about brotherly affections.

"Well, I've decided that I'd like you and your digimon to lead the attack that will finish those intruders off," the Emperor grinned.

The Emperor would trust him with such an important task so quickly? Ken was confused. For someone who denigrated emotional decision making, Sam seemed to be making quite a gutsy emotion-based move himself. Ken imagined himself in the Emperor's position and realized that there was a good chance the Emperor was expecting Ken to defect... but then why? Was it a test?

"I," Ken began, letting his confusion show on his face.

The Digimon Emperor interrupted him, eyes gleaming, "Good. I can guess what you must be thinking. From the position of the knowledge you have, this plan makes no sense at all. It looks like I'm just using you to add insult to injury for my enemies before I destroy them. You're right to question this. I hope you will question thinking like this in your own actions as my General. As you will learn, I always minimize risk and I would never take an action when I'm less than 90% confident in its success. In this case, I'm 97% sure this will work to my advantage in all possible ways."

The emperor knew something Ken didn't, something that would dramatically decrease the probability of Ken's betrayal. He would have guessed that it might be keeping Wormmon in the dungeons, but the Emperor had said Wormmon would participate in the attack. A memory surfaced of strange plating inside his belt. Ken felt a sinking feeling from the top of his chest all the way down to his diaphragm. The Emperor was going to use a control ring. Ken didn't let his comprehension show. He tried his best to breathe normally. What could he do at this point? There were guards outside the room. He could try to tackle the Emperor and take him down in a fist fight, but Sam was older, stronger, and larger than he was. Ken was backed into a corner, and his fight or flight response was failing him.

Ken's fears were confirmed when the Emperor pressed a button on his console, and the floor opened up. Out of the opening rose a pedestal with a single black ring, just big enough to fit around his neck.

Ken was all out of options. A whisper in the back of his mind, reverting established neural patterns, and something else not accounted for managed to keep him from breaking down. It was as if some other part of him had stood up that hadn't moved for a long time and said to him, "I'll take it from here."

"Put it on," the Emperor commanded.

Ken shivered, falling to his knees. "I see how that would be a great advantage for you, Emperor, but there must be another way. I'm not ready to give up my free will. Just give me time, and I'll prove that I can be faithful and still control my own actions. You've already seen that I'm capable of some rational thought. That's a huge assert to have on the battlefield. Would you throw all that usefulness away and turn me into a machine?"

"You think I haven't already thought about all of that? That your simple thoughts would not occur to me?" the Emperor's hand hovered over the handle of his whip, "Put it on."

From the backseat of his neural patterns, Ken noticed that he was still confused. How could the emperor be 97% sure of the ring's success if he hadn't had any human subjects to test it on? He couldn't very well test it on himself, he wouldn't be that stupid anyway. Ken had once read that one's strength as a rationalist is one's ability to be more confused by fiction than by reality. If the Emperor wanted him to be his controlled slave, why ask him to put the collar on? Why not just fling the collar at him like he did with the others he wrested control from? And why would he tell Ken that he should use reasoning as his general if Ken wouldn't be making any decisions? There was only one circumstance that Ken could think of that explained all of this: the control ring was a just a bluff. Some part of Ken already _knew_ it was a bluff, and had been acting accordingly.

He flung himself down at the Digimon Emperor's feet and squeezed tears from his eyes, "Please... I'm so frightened... Please, find another way, master. You can do it, you are smart enough."

"I have already made my decision, and this is the last time I will tell you, Ken. Put on the ring. Now."

Slowly, tentatively, Ken rose from where he was lying prostrate. He stepped up to the pedestal and took the ring in his hand. He looked at it closely, then at the emperor, who nodded. Ken fastened the control ring around his neck.


	10. Chapter 10

Nothing happened.

The Digimon Emperor began to slowly clap. "Congratulations, Ken, you've passed the test of loyalty. I must say, I wasn't expecting things to be this easy, but you always were sort of timid in the face of authority, weren't you?"

Ken said nothing, running his fingers over the top of the dark ring. "That was... really unpleasant," he grunted after a long pause. "I think I understand your reasons for doing this. It's the most intelligent move, really, but I'll be lying if I pretend I'm not still a little upset."

"You'll get over it," the Emperor flipped a switch and the control room door slid open.

"Indeed," Ken muttered, "Can I take this thing off now?"

"Oh, I suppose. I think it would be more fun to watch you kill the Digidestined if they know you're doing so of your own free will. At this point I think I can afford to sit back and have a little petty fun. Ruling the world should have its perks, after all, or what would be the point?"

The two digimon that were guarding the safe in the hallways the previous night entered the control room, followed by Wormmon.

"As a reward for your loyalty, you get to have your Digivice back," the Emperor said. Gotsumon handed the white D-3 back to its rightful owner, who clutched it like a precious treasure.

"Thank you for your generosity, Emperor," Ken bowed. Finally, this plan was getting somewhere. Now he just needed to find a way to implement the second phase before anyone was hurt.

"You'll need that if you're going to make Wormmon evolve into... Millipedemon, or whatever he becomes, to deliver the final blow against our enemies. Normally my control spires don't allow digimon to evolve past their rookie forms, but I've programmed him in as an exception. I'll just initialize the change now," the Emperor punched a few keys, and some control spires displayed on the monitors, flashing.

Wormmon tugged on Ken's shirt, "Uhm, maybe this isn't the best time, but please tell me I didn't just hear what I think I heard..."

"What is it, Wormmon?" Ken asked, leaning down. The Emperor was turned away, looking at the spires and the code he had written for them. The Floramon and Gotsumon were staring blankly forward.

Ken mouthed the words, "I have a plan, but you won't like it." Wormmon looked upset.

"There," said the Emperor, swiveling back toward them. "All taken care of. Now all that's left is to select our other soldiers, and we'll begin the offensive."

"No." Wormmon said, leering at the Emperor, "I'm a very patient worm. I'll put up with being your servant. I'll put up with being the butt of your jokes. I'll even put up with you pushing Ken around and treating him like a dog instead of giving him the respect you ought to give to your own brother. But now you're going too far. I won't let you make killers out of us. Not out of me, and not out of Ken either."

Ken couldn't help but admire Wormmon's bravery, but it was ruining his chances. There _was_ another course of action he might be able to take, the untapped vessel in his mind proposed, but Wormmon would like that even less...

"Well I didn't ask you, did I, worm?" the Emperor spat. "Floramon, give Ken his knife back. He needs to use it now."

Images of stabbing for the Emperor's chest flashed through Ken's mind, but these were quickly dismissed. Floramon and Gotsumon stood between them, and from what Ken had seen so far of digimon, two of them could easily outmaneuver him. Ken shut his eyes, grasping the handle of his knife with one finger at a time. There was only one option now that would still let them win. He had to keep his focus on the goal, and not let the calculated defeat of a few of his own pieces bother him.

He held the blade at shoulder level, away from his body, tip down.

"Wormmon, don't be a fool. Apologize to the Emperor," Ken said tonelessly.

"There is nothing to apologize for. Everything I said is true, and you know it, and _he_ knows it too!" Wormmon stood firm. "Ken, please, remember your heart. This isn't who you are. You're my partner, Ken. You're my best friend."

Ken slashed the knife down at Wormmon, who jumped back toward the wall. "Ken! Stop! What are you doing?!"

The Emperor laughed wildly at the pain in the creature's eyes as Ken's blade sliced through Wormmon's flesh. Ken's digimon wasn't even fighting back.

Ken's second cut carved across Wormmon's throat, separating his head from his body.

It was for the best, Ken tried to reassure himself. He made it as quick and as painless as he could. It was okay. Digimon didn't die forever, they came back. This was absolutely, positively, by every calculation the right move for him to make... and yet as Wormmon's data disappeared, he felt so utterly alone. He had given Wormmon no chance to consent or disagree. Once again he had let the idea of winning blind him to the feelings of those that loved him, just like it had when he left for the digital world without telling his parents. He didn't deserve warm-hearted friends like the Digidestined, who risked their lives to come after him. When it came right down to the core of things, he was more concerned about success than caring for others, just like the Emperor. Only now did he begin to comprehend the implication of Wormmon's words. Only now did he begin to understand that the Digimon Emperor _had_ made a killer out of him. He stumbled blindly forward, dropping his knife, and fell against the wall as everything went black.


	11. Chapter 11

All of a sudden, Davis didn't feel heavy anymore. It was as if a layer surrounding him was peeling away. He broke into a sprint down the empty hallway. As he ran, he became lighter and lighter, until he started to disappear. Was this it? Was this the end, he wondered? Little digital bits of himself were flying off in a single direction. His shadow body was breaking apart, and he ran straight through a wall after it. He kept running, following the data stream even after his legs were gone.

He stopped when he entered a strange room full of monitors. The Emperor was there, and Ken, and Wormmon. They didn't seem to see him at all. Ken struck Wormmon with a knife, and the poor little digimon collapsed into a stream of data that Davis could see in many colors. He was fading... fading... almost all gone. His vision blurred.

...but Ken was alive.

Davis drew in a deep, cold gasp of air. Ken was alive! As Davis's shadow self fractured, its remnant shrouded Ken in black mist. The darkness had found a new host. Davis felt himself floating away. His vision was coming in and out from many angles, but he could see that he was floating away from a flying stone base that could mask its location. He saw an enormous and narrow mountain peak rising into the clouds in the center of an island below. Light was washing over the digital world now. It felt like it became a warm part of him. Ken was alive. There was still hope.

* * *

"Davis is waking up!" Veemon shouted with excitement.

T.K. had dozed off after Hyogamon agreed to watch over Davis and help if he could.

Light poured into the entrance of the cave.

T.K. Peeked out from tired eyes to see Davis stretching his arms into the air.

"Gah! It feels great to be back!" Davis hugged Veemon tightly in his arms. The little digimon was practically vibrating in all of his joy.

"Are you okay, Davis? What happened?" T.K. asked with a yawn.

"I must have crashed from all that caffeine," Davis stuck out his tongue and put one hand behind his head, "but, uh, I feel very strongly and for no particular reason at all that we need to visit the Primary Village. That and... um... where the heck are we right now?"

Hyogamon handed Davis a hot bowl of rice. "You're my guests. Go on, eat this. It will help you regain some of your strength." Hyogamon passed bowls to T.K., Veemon, and Pegasusmon as well. "I'd offer you some hot chocolate before you continue your journey, but I'm fresh out."

"It's strange that you should mention the Village of Beginnings," T.K. said quietly, "Because while you were out cold we got some very distressing messages from the rest of our friends..." T.K. shook his head sadly. "Halsemon and Digmon were overpowered by enemies and either captured or destroyed. Cody's leg was injured, and the others said that at first light, they would take him back to the real world and to a hospital. After all that happened to them, none of us came any closer to finding the real Ken, or the Digimon Emperor's base."

"Well it sounds like you could use some good news," said Davis. "And I might just have some, with any luck. Ok. Bear with me, because this is going to sound a little off-the-wall, but... while I was out, I think I was somehow _inside_ the Emperor's fortress! And it's no wonder we couldn't find it—the thing is freaking invisible, and it floats on air!"

T.K. failed to see how this was good news, even if what Davis had seen was more than just a dream.

"Well, just as I was losing focus, I saw that the base was hovering over a stream on an island with a big steep mountain. It was a pretty memorable sight. Have you seen a place like that before?"

"It sounds like Infinity Mountain," T.K. said between bites of rice, "I think the place you saw was the river on File Island. That's not far from the Primary Village."

"Alright, then that's where we're headed!" Davis smiled before shoveling half of the food in his bowl into his mouth at once.

"Hyogamon, you should let the rebel forces know that we're attempting to break in to the Emperor's base today. You can decide to join the attack with us or use the time to accomplish one of your other goals while we're keeping the Emperor busy," T.K. suggested.

"Remember your promise," Hyogamon said with a wink. "I'll contact the others and we'll make a decision as quickly as we can."

T.K. Walked up to Pegasusmon's side. "Hey there, pal. I know you must be worn out, but you've done a great job so far with guarding us and flying us where we need to go. If you're still strong enough to carry us, we'll let Veemon take care of the fighting when we get there, alright?"

"Thanks to this food, I'll be able to do it," Pegasusmon nodded, "Just keep hope alive in your heart, and I will do everything that I can."

Hyogamon boxed them up some food to take for later, and they all thanked him for his hospitality before departing into the sky for the Village of Beginnings.


	12. Chapter 12

Ken awoke in bed in the quarters the Digimon Emperor had given him. By now, he thought, Davis and his friends were probably dead. He pulled his knees up to his chest. It felt like his legs were made of lead.

A Gazimon approached the bed from the doorway and bowed, "The Emperor has instructed me to play this for you, General, when you awaken." The digimon pressed a button, and one of the walls of the room lit up like a television with the Emperor's face. Ken clenched his fists. He didn't want to deal with this right now. He didn't want to see Sam. Their game was over, and Ken knew he had lost. There was no point in putting up with Sam or his stupid plans anymore.

"Greetings, my new Digimon General," the Emperor's voice boomed from a hidden speaker, "By now I am off eliminating the last remnant of those that stand in our way. I've received word from our forces in the 8th sector that Halsemon and Digmon were successfully deleted in one of the ambushes I constructed. One of the children was wounded, consequently three digidestined have had the sense to flee this world. Two of them still remain here, exhausted and weak. I plan to make such an example out of these two and their deaths that the remaining three will never enter the digital world again. My forces report that the two of them have left the 8th sector and are heading this way." The Emperor paused to instruct a trio of Devidramon scouts before he continued.

"While you passing out in my control chamber was untimely, I can't say it was entirely unexpected. From what data I have gathered about digimon and their partners, there is some kind of connection beyond mere mental devotion. I suppose you can consider yourself lucky that killing Wormmon didn't also kill you," he grinned, "But I am still most impressed by your performance. And of course, since I plan ahead for contingencies like that one, your efforts really weren't needed in this offensive. So don't fret about missing the battle. I'm sure I can still bring you back a souvenir after I win the day. Perhaps the skull of that one that won't shut up would look nice on your bedside table. Anyway, I can't prattle on all day, I have things to do. Make yourself useful around my headquarters, and when I get back we can enjoy a little victory soiree." The broadcast cut off there.

Rage started to boil the blood under Ken's skin. He clutched the Gazimon by the throat and pressed down with his hands, "You think you can win this?" he whispered in a dangerous quiet, "You seriously think that ANYONE is winning right now?!" he screamed, slamming the Gazimon against the wall. A blood-chilling laugh startled him, and he dropped the Gazimon. It sank to the floor and limped away. This was not the Emperor's laugh. Though the Emperor was tainted with incredible cruelty, he still had the voice of a child.

"Who are you?" Ken shouted. His vision started to blur at the edges, where objects lost their color.

"I am your destiny, little one!" called the echoes. The echoes moved through him like a wave of heat, or a spark of electricity. Ken shivered. "Come to me! Fulfill your ultimate purpose!" it beckoned.

As Ken moved the bed covers aside, he briefly recalled that he was supposed to be angry... what was 'angry' again? Ken couldn't remember. He was pulsing with sound, and it echoed in him like he was hollow... empty...

His body moved without purpose out into the halls of the Emperor's lair. Like a leaf, falling from somewhere high, carried on the wind. Like a moth, fluttering toward a flame.

"Yes... obey," said the soothing resonance of the voice. "Nothing is left for you but to disappear into the void and fuel my expanse."

The words felt so right to Ken, so true and perfect, like water over dry roots. He passed doors and turned corners with steps so gentle that he might as well have been floating. When he passed the Emperor's controlled digimon, even guard digimon that were certainly much stronger than Ken, they backed away from him in fear. To them, he looked like a savage, amorphous virus. Ken payed little heed to these reactions. Surrender to the night was peaceful... quiet... though he had questions inside him, somewhere. He still had so much that he wondered. He knew his path of destiny was destruction, but along the way the questions kept resurfacing even as they drowned.

"What is your... name?" asked Ken, even as the darkness called him onward. His lungs were tight, and his own voice sounded so distant.

"Myotismon," spoke the hole in the world. The echoes of the word completed Ken. There were no mysteries left that he needed to solve. It was finished.

* * *

Purupurumon pushed a small foot out of the crack in the egg. It was so cramped in there, and the warm daylight on his jiggling winglet felt so very nice. He squeezed the rest of his body from the shell and bounced against the soft, loamy surface of the ground in the Primary Village. There had been a cheerful, scratchy little voice calling for him to come out.

Tsubumon was hopping up and down excitedly, "You've hatched! You're awake!"

Purupurumon sniffed the fresh smell of grass and cooed, blinking at his friend. "I... remember you," said the small chicklike slime digimon to the bouncing cream-colored bulb one.

"We were friends," nodded Tsubamon, "Before we got reconfigured."

"I don't remember very much," Purupurumon squeaked, "But today is beautiful, and I'm glad you're here to welcome me out of my egg," he smiled, scooting toward his bobbling, bouncing friend for a cuddle.

Tsubamon made a strange face. He was trying to concentrate very hard, which was difficult for such a small digimon. "We had other friends too, didn't we? And we all played together?"

"I hope so," Purupurumon nodded, "I want to be friends with everybody!"

Tsubamon giggled and tickled Purupurumon with the soft frond jutting from his head. They collapsed in a tiny pile of laughter, bumping into other eggs as they rolled across the lawn.

A familiar silhouette crossed the sky. Pegasusmon landed near the tussling baby digimon, who looked at him and his riders in wonderment.

"Are those...?" Davis asked, not really sure how to finish his thought.

"Well that's definitely Purupurumon," T.K. said, "And I've never seen Armadillomon's fresh form, but that other digimon bears a pretty close resemblance to Upamon. What do you think, Pegasusmon?"

"I'd say we found them," exhaled the steed, dropping down to the soft grass to rest.

"I knew it! I knew I knew I knew we had more friends!" Tsubamon bounded from the ground to T.K.'s shoulder to the top of Davis's head.

"Oh yeah... but they don't look quite how I remember," Purupurumon purred, "I thought this one had long purple hair," he said pointing his beak at Davis.

"Oh no," said Tsubamon, landing beside Pegasusmon, "You look hurt. What happened?"

"We were attacked by one of the Emperor's sentinels when we came here," Pegasusmon grunted, "There may be more coming. We need the two of you to come with us, so that we can take you back to Cody and Yolei."

Cody... Tsubamon thought that name sounded very nice. Like someone he would enjoy being around more than anyone else. Purupurumon was thinking the same thing about the name Yolei.

"Oh boy, I can't wait!" Purupurumon waddled up to Pegasusmon's hoof. Davis scooped him up and handed him to Veemon.

"Hey little buddy, don't you remember me?" Veemon asked, eyes arching hopefully.

"Not very well," Purupurumon admitted, "But that's okay. Maybe I'll remember you more later."

T.K. held out a hand for Tsubamon, who bounced into it with a small wobble to adjust for comfort.

"Ok, that's taken care of," said Pegasusmon, "We should get going quickly."

"Hold on," said Davis, "There's still something here I need to do," he said, stepping down from Pegasusmon's back.

Pegasusmon gave T.K. a questioning look, but T.K. nodded, "Go ahead Davis. Just don't take long. The Emperor will catch up with us if we don't keep moving."

Davis jogged forward. Veemon wanted to hop after him, but he had been charged with caring for the squishy bird digimon and didn't want to compromise the little tyke. "Good luck, Davis," he called out, waving with one hand as Davis disappeared over a hill into a cluster of alphabet blocks.


	13. Chapter 13

Leafmon hid beneath his tail in shame. He thought that Ken had really cared about him. He thought, at least, that he might forget all the pain and heartache when he reconfigured, but it was not to be. Something else had mingled with his data; something dark that wouldn't let him forget.

Tears clouded the tiny digimon's eyes. Could his partner really be a good person inside if he was capable of doing this? Maybe even destiny made mistakes sometimes. Even if Ken turned out to be bad, leafmon didn't know if he had the strength to stay away from him. Maybe in another world, under better circumstances, Ken would have been kind. It was all that terrible Emperor's fault.

"Little green, hey little green guy!" Davis was calling to the digi-eggs over the hill, "Green caterpillarmon, where are you?"

Leafmon thought he had heard the voice before.

Davis found leafmon in a pile of brightly-colored eggs and looked at him carefully, "Hey there," he smiled, "I know you might not remember... but did you used to be a sort of caterpillar thing about this long, and this wide," Davis held out his arms, "With a purple maw and big shining eyes and lots of wiggly pods for legs?"

Leafmon nodded sheepishly, but turned away.

"Then I need you to come with me!" Davis picked up the newly hatched digimon, cradling him gently. "We're going to save Ken."

"You're one of the children that brought him here, aren't you?" Leafmon asked.

"Yeah, I'm Davis," He nodded. "And," he breathed out, "I'm really, really sorry that I let your partner down. But I don't plan to give up just because things are hard."

"I wish I had the strength to do something to help," Leafmon's tail shivered, "I wish I could transform into a powerful digimon and take the Emperor down once and for all, so that he could never hurt Ken or anyone else again. He's done too much to pollute this world. He's going to learn that sometimes when you meddle too much in darkness, darkness bites back."

"We'll defeat the Emperor some day, but for now we're just going to get Ken out of there and get him home to safety. Then he can make a better plan—one that's sure to let us win."

"I'm not sure Ken wants to go against the Emperor any more, Davis," Leafmon muttered, "There's something you don't know about, something terrible..."

Leafmon remembered being Wormmon. He remembered the knife slicing through him and the empty look on Ken's face. He felt so much for Ken and his partner seemed to feel nothing at all. He didn't want to think about it, or talk about it. He just sobbed into Davis's gloves.

"Shh," Davis comforted the tiny digimon with a reassuring squeeze. He brushed the leaf aside to look him in the eyes, "I saw what he did to you, but it's not who he is. Something about that place is really wrong. There's something powerful and evil inside that base. I don't think even the Emperor understands it, and it can change people. If we can just get Ken away from there, he'll be okay."

And maybe, Davis thought to himself, if they could do the same with the Digimon Emperor, he might start to remember he had a heart once, too.

Leafmon wanted to believe it. Leafmon wanted Ken to be a good and kind and loving partner. He wasn't sure that it was as simple as Davis seemed to think. If there was a chance to help him, though, Leafmon would definitely try. "Alright, I'll come with you," the digimon agreed, "and I will fight with all my strength to get my partner back!" Leafmon started to glow, and digivolved into Minomon in Davis's arms. The strain of the evolution put him to sleep. Davis sprinted back toward Pegasusmon and the others over the egg-speckled hills, careful not to step on any hatchlings.

"Okay, I'm all finished," Davis yelled, "Let's get out of here."

T.K. looked questioningly at the small green digimon in Davis's arms, but Pegasusmon didn't wait around for questions. He leapt into the air to carry his friends away.

"Oh no," T.K.'s heart sank, "Look there—It's the Devidramon and more of the Emperor's forces! They've cut us off from the river! We're too late!"

It was true. Enemies were all around them. The Emperor himself glided toward them astride a deadly looking Wingdramon. The dark spiral was so deeply imbedded in Wingdramon's arm that it was virtually hidden beneath the scabbing flesh.

"There's just too many! We'll never break through!" Pegasusmon beat his wings furiously.

"We can't give up," Davis said. "There has to be a way."

Enemy digimon kept them from moving in any direction at all. Wingdramon was mere feet from Pegasusmon now, and the Emperor was looking down at his prey with satisfaction.

Davis closed his eyes and kept his spirit strong, preparing to have Veemon digivolve at the right moment.

"You're going to rub this in our faces, aren't you?" T.K. gritted his teeth, glaring at the Emperor.

"No. I'm going to destroy you first and rub it in when you're good and dead. Wingdramon, Blaze Sonic Breath, now!"

The ultimate level digimon readied its attack, but the blast was interrupted by a blow to the back of Wingdramon's head that sent the Emperor flying forward. The unexpected attack came from an Airdramon with a control ring.

"One of you morons catch me!" the Emperor yelled to his minions as chaos erupted through his ranks. Digimon with control rings seemed to have turned against each other.

"It's Hyogamon's secret troops! They've come through for us!" T.K. exclaimed. Pegasusmon used the confusion as a chance to escape. He wove them skillfully through clashing digimon battles, careful not to turn too quickly and throw off any passengers.

The Emperor caught a Flymon by the wing and pulled himself up onto its back. "No! This is impossible!" he roared. He commanded the troops that were still loyal to him to follow the Digidestined, but many of them were held back by their attackers.

"Flymon, take me back to the base as quickly as possible," the Emperor ordered. Flymon was much slower than Wingdramon, even slower than Airdramon, but the two of them seemed quite occupied at the moment. What was worse was that these rebel digimon seemed very well organized. They attacked together and aimed for the control rings and spirals rather than the weak points on the digimon they fought. "Faster!" The emperor demanded, whipping Flymon's head as they flew. Flymon only buzzed and continued forward at the same speed.

At least the Emperor knew that when those loathsome Digidestined arrived to rescue Ken that they would be in for a nasty shock. Sam relaxed a little thinking that maybe Ken would have the competence to kill them for him. The chances of that chance did seem rather small, but General Ken wasn't the only surprise waiting for the Emperor's enemies inside his base, presuming they could even track down its location.


	14. Chapter 14

A pinprick of light entered Ken's empty world. He tried to ignore it at first, but it remained in his field of vision—a blemish upon the perfect uniformity of the dark. He did not understand what it was, but he hated it. Ken tried to move toward the light, to block it out, but he found that he could not move. He stared into the tiny hole where the light shone through and shook with rage, unable to even cry out. As he focused his hatred on the light, it expanded. It burned against his eyes and his skin and he feared it would consume him.

Ken found himself once more able to scream. He wailed with misery in the harsh brightness that was filling up his comforting shadow world. He was feeling things, and he ought not to have been able to feel anymore. Now the emptiness was pierced, and there was anger, fear, and pain. As the moments passed, new emotions were breaking free.

Confusion. Was he even supposed to be here?

Curiosity. What was he really supposed to be doing?

Conviction. He would get to the bottom of this puzzling situation even if it took every ounce of strength he had left.

Ken pulled his body from the ground and slowly, deliberately plodded toward the light. He was so heavy that he could barely crawl. There was some shape in the brightness, some familiar looking green face Ken thought he knew.

Recollection. Wormmon. He was here because he had killed Wormmon. It seemed like such a small concern now... there were other digimon out there somewhere, he remembered. Digimon that he hadn't betrayed, digimon that he had sacrificed so much for—to get their freedom back.

Ken realized that this darkness was not where he was meant to be. The withered tree shattered, and he stepped out from its wreckage. Light poured in from every side. He remembered how his digimon humored him by putting on that ridiculous belt. Even if Wormmon wouldn't want to be his partner anymore, he could not give up. He would help the other digimon, and when he defeated the Emperor's evil, Wormmon and the others would at least have a happier world to live in.

The light was dimming now. A small lavender-colored sigil floated into his hand. The brightness disappeared, but Ken's conviction was stronger than it had ever been. He found himself standing in an open room of the Emperor's lair, gazing at a shining golden object atop a stone structure. Ken was drawn to it, and reached up. Before he had a chance to touch it, a Bakemon floated into the room.

"Mr. General, Sir, the base just lost central power. The Dark Generator has sort of... just spontaneously blown up. The automatic protocol to re-route to auxiliary power has been activated. Luckily it kicked in before we crashed into the ground. I just came to inform you that we're operating energy consumption at bare-bones right now. With the Emperor gone, you're in charge here... should we make landing to conserve energy, sir? The protocol states that it's highly recommended, sir, but we need authorization to continue."

"Yes, land us somewhere close to the river, out in open view," Ken nodded.

"In open view, sir? But the cloaking system isn't operating while we're in power conservation mode, and..." the Bakemon tilted its head sideways a little.

"You heard me, swine, don't make me repeat myself," Ken said in his best Digimon Emperor impersonation.

The Bakemon bowed and floated away. "Of course, General. I do as you command."

Ken clutched the sigil. He did not know what the Crest of Kindness really was, but holding it there against the bare skin of his hand made it absolutely clear what to do next.

"Bakemon, wait," he held out a hand, "Before you go, direct me to the pitiful sods that do the laundry around here. This outfit is starting to reek, and they've been neglecting their duties."

"Yes, General. They're down the elevator on the ground floor, through the third passage to the left, great General," it groveled. Ken headed that way without hesitating to dismiss the Bakemon.

When Ken entered the laundry room, he ordered the Emperor's slaves to leave the area and focus all their efforts on repairing the Dark Generator. They obeyed without a single syllable of protest. The thought crossed Ken's mind that he could get used to being in charge, but he had more important things to do now. It was easy to find a clean set of the Emperor's clothes and put them on. He gathered some nearby ingredients, mixing simple clothing starch and water. He ran it through his hair. The makeshift styling product did nicely to imitate Sam's spiked hairdo. Now he was just missing the whip and glasses, and his confidence while clutching the crest could more than make up for the lack of them.

The false Digimon Emperor headed to the control room, hoping that his hacking skills could break him through whatever security his brother had programmed into the main terminal. He brushed acrid thoughts of the other children and their fate away from his mind. He could grieve for them properly when the control spires were permanently deleted.

* * *

Far away, in the real world, Yukio Oikawa dropped to his knees with a splitting headache. "The Dark Tree has been destroyed," growled the voice that surrounded his thoughts.

"No! Master!" The pallid man lamented, "Your plan—how will we return you to your full strength now?"

"It will not be so easy," the voice said, twisting through the heart it possessed, "But it can still be done. For now, we must bide our time."


	15. Chapter 15

*****Note: To all actual hackers and the computer literate, please bear with this chapter. I have no actual experience in computer hacking, and I honestly don't know much about computers in general. The process Ken uses here is just what I found on Google. If you can improve this chapter, by all means leave a review and I will do what I can to make Ken's process more accurate. Thanks.**

* * *

Ken cracked his knuckles and sat at the computer. The Emperor's slaves hadn't suspected a thing. Victory was so close he could taste it. He thought he had understood computers before this surreal experience of being inside one. Sitting in front of a computer while he was in a computer was a little too Escher for Ken to handle right now, or maybe too Nietzsche... but meta aside, this was his element. At the core of everything in the digital world was math, simple 0s and 1s in a neat little binary. Math was comforting in its predictability compared to all of this hit or miss scheming.

The unlabeled keys did actually correspond to those of a standard Japanese alphanumeric keyboard, it seemed. He had done this part dozens of times on several systems. The login screen looked like Windows 98. Child's play. He just had to turn on the device, wait for it to boot up, and then open My Computer through the help menu's "print topic" option.

It should have worked. Normally it would work. Of course, Sam would know the same basic methods Ken knew about getting into systems like this. In Sam's place, Ken thought, he would have fixed the operating system's obvious security flaw. The Emperor probably wasn't expecting anyone to try to hack him, but he _was_ a perfectionist.

No matter. Ken had other ways of getting through. He rebooted the device in safe mode to run a program that controls user passwords. He would just change or disable the password for the administrator account. While going through the first steps, Ken noticed that Sam had already made an account for him, though it wasn't an administrator. It was a good thing the Emperor had returned his pack and everything in it. He found and inserted a disc labeled "Mix CD #5" that actually contained a password and registry editing program. To his relief, computers in the digital world worked the same way they did outside of confusing meta-situations. His program located the file that stored Sam's password information and disabled password protection. He was in.

"Now if I were an evil program that made slaves out of innocent creatures, where would I be..." Ken mused, fingers hovering over the glowing keys. He could just delete everything, but If the Digimon Emperor had a backup system somewhere, that would only set him back a few hours at most. Ken had to find the programming for the control devices and learn how it worked to be sure he could really undo it. The problem was that none of the files were labeled sensibly, and running the wrong program could be a trap.

Ken wished he had brought more programs of his own, but there was only so much room in one pack for supplies. He closed his eyes for a moment to think. The control spire program would have to run constantly, since the digimon were always being controlled. He checked the programs that were currently running. Even narrowing down the possibilities that way didn't help much. There were still too many to choose from. He looked at CPU and memory usage, but no one program stood out as using much more than the others.

He was so close. He had to think of something quickly, before the Emperor returned. It wasn't as if he could just ask one of the digimon slaves, "Excuse me, but can you please tell me the name of the program I use to control you?" … could he?

Actually, the more he thought about it, the better the idea sounded. They didn't have a will of their own, and probably wouldn't recognize that the question was suspicious. They might not know the file name or any identifying characteristic of the program, but if they didn't, he could just command them not to speak of him asking the question, and they would obey.

He summoned a passing Candlemon on patrol in the halls. "You there, stop what you're doing. Tell me, if you can, what the file that controls you is called."

The digimon opened its mouth and an electronic buzz hummed from its lips, " "

That made sense. Sam was using device drivers. The program the Emperor used to control digimon would need to be modified to fit the role the specific digimon was supposed to perform. It didn't tell Ken what the source program that controlled the digimon was called, but he could pinpoint it by looking at what lead him to.

"Come with me," Ken ordered the Candlemon to accompany him into the control room and closed the door behind them.

Ken set to work again, and found that the program connected the control ring to was called . Ken shook his head, not bothering to hold back his laugh. Oh, Sam... this was _so_ Sam.

Looking through its coding, Ken was pretty amazed with what his brother had come up with. His understanding of the inner workings of the digimon was comprehensive. These creatures were true artificial intelligences. That alone was revolutionary. Basically what the Emperor had done with the control spires was override the volition part of the digimons' programming that they normally used to make choices. The rings and spirals were only anchors for the commands that were broadcast through the spires. The spires would broadcast and the control rings and spirals had modifiers programmed into them that gave specific default instructions, but there was also an override for the Emperor's verbal commands.

Luckily for Ken, the Emperor hadn't programmed the digimon to recognize him by his DNA, which would probably be translated to a unique personal coding in the digital world, but rather his appearance and tone of voice. Ken copied all the information he could onto his "Mix CD #5" disc. When he finished copying what he needed he took out his own disk, and proceeded to delete the control spire program from Sam's system.

...

Or Ken thought that was what he had done.

All the monitors flashed red, and then a prerecorded video of the Emperor played on all displays.

"Really?" the Emperor's recording folded its arms, "This is really the choice you have made? Disappointing. Oh well. Since I'm away for whatever reason, I'll let Kimeramon take out the trash."

The floor of the control room folded open in the center. The chair Ken was sitting in, the computer monitors, everything was turned upside down in a matter of a few seconds. The Candlemon fell with a frightened shriek and crashed hard into the ground below. Ken's bag full of supplies dropped too, and the chemicals inside exploded on impact. It was all Ken could do to grip the attached swivel-chair and hang on for his life. The disk flew out of his hand, sailing down.

When his head stopped spinning, he found that he was hanging over the Emperor's battle stadium. There was nothing he could grab on to to climb back up to the control room's exit.

On the far side of the arena below, colorful data was gathering. Some kind of enormous digimon was loading there on the ground. If the meter-long purple claws on its feet were any indication, Ken was about to be in for a very bad time.


	16. Chapter 16

Davis, T.K. and their digimon friends had found the river. They followed it upstream, trying to find the area where Davis had seen the Emperor's hidden base.

"Could we have passed it, if it's really invisible?" T.K. asked, "Do we know if it's mobile, or if it just hovers in place?"

Davis shook his head, "None of this looks like what I saw yet. We need to keep going."

Minomon squirmed in Davis's arms. Ken was in trouble. The tiny digimon didn't know how he knew, but his chest hurt inside and Ken was all he could think about. What if Ken didn't want to leave with them? What if he didn't want his partner back? Minomon started to glow. There was power surging through him even despite his doubts. He would overcome fear and do what he had to. He would take Ken back whether Ken wanted him or not. He would make Ken safe even if he had to destroy the Emperor and every one of his guards to have Ken by his side again.

"Wah! I think the little guy's evolving!" Davis said, loosening his grip on Minomon as the digimon broke out of its chrysalis.

"Minomon, digivolve to... BlackWormmon!"

"What? BlackWormmon?" T.K. turned around to look at the new creature that Davis now held.

"You're too heavy now. I'm losing my strength," Pegasusmon grunted "I can't keep carrying all of you, or I won't maintain this form. We have to land and rest."

"If we do that, the Digimon Emperor will get back there before we can bust in!" Davis said, "We can't let that happen. He's going to be royally pissed off, there's no knowing what he'll do."

"Davis, give Pegasusmon a break," T.K. scolded, "He's been flying us around and guarding us day and night! He's done more than anybody to get us this far. Don't blame him for what he's not capable of after all he's done. He's doing his best. We'll just have to land and let him rest."

Pegasusmon was already approaching the ground.

"Alright then," Davis was squeezing BlackWormmon a little too hard, "Raidramon will take us from here, right Veemon?"

"Got it, Partner. I'm ready!" The scrappy blue digimon jumped from Pegasusmon's back, "Veemon, armor digivolve to... Raidramon!"

The Storm of Friendship opened his mouth with a powerful, rumbling voice, "I'll get you there, fast as lightning."

As soon as Pegasusmon's hooves touched down, his legs gave out. In a flash of bright light, he transformed back into Patamon, "I'm exhausted," the rookie digimon flopped across the ground, chubby limbs splayed out. "Time for a little nap."

T.K. picked up Patamon gently, and his digimon fell asleep in his arms.

"All aboard, hurry up!" Davis said as everyone scrambled onto Raidramon's back.

True to his word, the armored thunder lizard bounded swiftly up the river.

"I think I see it, there, ahead," BlackWormmon called out to the others, pointing a purple-tipped digit forward at a rocky mound in the distance.

"You're right, that's something there," Raidramon rumbled, "Is that what you saw before, Davis?"

"Yeah, that's it guys! Only it's not invisible now, and it looks totally disabled!" A shot of adrenaline—hope—something shot through Davis's heart at the sight of the Emperor's base in the distance. "If it's not floating anymore, and it's totally visible, it _has_ to be Ken that disabled the base's defenses! Maybe he really did have a plan all along!"

BlackWormmon wanted to think so, but … "It could also be a trap," he squirmed, "Don't let your guard down just because things look easier than you expected, Davis."

T.K. nodded, "BlackWormmon is right. We need to be even more cautious than if the defenses were up."

"We don't need your negativity right now, T.K." Davis glared back, "We got this good sign, why did you have to ruin it for us with your attitude?"

T.K. wanted to argue... he wanted to protest that he was just being practical, but Patamon was snoozing comfortably in his arms. They had found the base. They were almost there. Maybe this crazy plan had a chance after all. Patamon's little orange snout nuzzled T.K.'s chest, and T.K. lost his fire. "I apologize, Davis. It's been a rough couple of days for everybody. I just don't want any of us to get hurt," or worse, T.K. thought to himself.

"We'll stick together and protect each other," Davis put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry. We won't let you down, T.K. It'll be alright." At least, Davis hoped it would be.

Raidramon leaped up to one of the entrances to the base, blowing the sealed door off with a Thunder Blast. The two startled Gazimon that guarded the entrance didn't have time to react before the Digidestined invaders had already vanished down the long, winding hallways.

* * *

The Digimon Emperor knew that he would not be able to return to his base on the Flymon before the Digidestined got there, so instead he stopped at a control spire. Sam had built contact stations under most of the spires so that his slaves could give reports from their sectors. Logging in there, he could remotely command Ken and the digimon at his base to prepare for an invasion.

When he booted the terminal up, he was greeted with a most unwelcome message, "Greetings, handsome," his recording said. Sam already knew where this was going. This was the recorded message that meant Ken had betrayed him, and his hacker protocol had been activated. The words blurred in the Emperor's building fury. The anger started in the palms of his hands that pressed down on the desk before him like hot coals. It flowed up his arms and filled his chest, lighting his eyes with a fearsome burning look.

He searched his memories for some kind of indication, any at all, that Ken had been untrustworthy. He could think of nothing except that he had never seen a digimon disobey an order from its partner before. Sam put himself in Ken's position and asked what he would have done, and things started to make sense. He would have given his digimon instructions and killed it, knowing that it would reconfigure at the village of beginnings and contact the other members of the team. Had Ken somehow already obtained some vital information that he had passed to Wormmon that was now in the hands of his Digidestined enemies?

It was all too infuriating to fathom, and yet the Emperor knew he must comprehend everything he could to regain control of the situation. Sam took a deep breath to get a hold of himself.

He accessed the log of activity from all of his terminals at the base. At least it looked like Ken had only used his computer system once, since all the other access times were accounted for. The alert for attempted deletion of essential files had been logged less than a minute ago. If the hacker protocol worked as it had in the testing phase, Ken wouldn't be alive for much longer. Still... even a 5% chance of Ken's survival was a chance the Emperor felt the need to reduce. Systems showed that the Dark Generator had gone offline, though not through any system command, and that the base was operating on auxiliary power. The base would be visible, vulnerable, and there were two Digidestined headed right for it. All these factors beyond the Emperor's control were an advantage to Ken.

Kimeramon alone was not victory assured, no matter how proud Sam was of his trump card. He knew the protocol had immediately revoked Ken's access to command of his controlled digimon, but checked it over manually to make absolutely sure.

"Hmm, I never thought I would actually get around to activating some of these programs," Sam said as he searched through his base's defenses to determine what was best to employ for this. He couldn't activate the complete defense protocol on only auxiliary power. He could still deploy neurotoxins in a few strategic locations and activate hallway lasers at the base's exits. He re-routed some of the expendable digimon guards to activate floor mines and block pathways, and instructed the Bakemon inside the base to take Ken's form once again.

The Emperor wouldn't waste much power monitoring with cameras, but switched to video of the arena only briefly to see if Ken was dead. The traitor was hanging from the ceiling on his swivel-chair with both hands. Kimeramon was almost fully loaded. The Emperor shut off the camera and flipped through the tracking data for a fast transport digimon that was under his control in this vicinity. The brief seconds of video restored his confidence. Ken wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.


	17. Chapter 17

*****I'm really sorry it took me this long to upload another bit of this D: I was afraid I would fall off of the bandwagon on this story. Thankfully, my poetry trip to Lafayette, IN renewed my inspiration. Before writing this section, I wrote enough for almost 2 future chapters. This part gave me a little writers block, so I skipped ahead before coming back to finish this part. Sorry about leaving you for a few weeks with a dramatic and nearly literal cliffhanger!*****

* * *

The Emperor's base was a labyrinth. Raidramon couldn't make heads or tails of where they were heading, and the children weren't doing much better. At least none of the guards there had seemed particularly capable of stopping them, or even slowing them down much. BlackWormmon seemed to be the only one of them that had any sense of direction inside the base at all. Even so, he wasn't very confident in his decisions about which paths to take, since some tunnels ended up winding back in the opposite direction. Sometimes he felt like he could feel Ken getting closer or farther away, but when they tried to follow a path he directed them onto, it would be blocked by rubble.

Raidramon paused at another six hallway intersection, "Alright. Which way now?"

"Hmm, just a minute," BlackWormmon tried to get his bearings.

Davis inhaled deeply, "Ugh, it smells like the Emperor had rotten eggs for breakfast this morning. He needs to add ventilation to his to-do list right after the entry for not being a giant sack of—"

"Eggs?" T.K. asked, sniffing the air. He looked worried. "That's not rotten eggs. This smells just like that time my mom's house had a gas leak."

"Judging by that and all the rubble we've found but didn't create, it seems to me like the Digimon Emperor could have sabotaged his own base," BlackWormmon said. "Ken might have reasons for blocking the hallways, but not creating a gas leak. We should be really careful."

"There are household cleaning products that produce really dangerous odorless airborne fumes when mixed, too," T.K. nodded. "And if I know about that, the Emperor is sure to know about it too. We can't stick around in here. If we stay lost and can't find our way out, we'll be affected by the gases. We need to blast open the ceiling for some ventilation. No time to lose."

"Right," Raidramon barked, "On it. Stand back. This is solid stone, and I'm not sure how much of it is going to come crashing down up ahead."

BlackWormmon felt a jolt of vicarious pain and panic shoot through his body "Ken! Oh Ken! He's being hurt, I can feel it!" The small digimon tensed at the loud sound of Raidramon's lightning attack and the crash of falling rocks.

"No good," Raidramon said, peering through the debris into the hole above, "It doesn't lead outside, just a room on a higher level than this one... wait, what's that light up there? Is there a window? I can't get a clear look."

Davis climbed onto Raidramon's back. He pulled the collar of his shirt over his mouth and nose so he wouldn't breathe in the dusty air and stood up tall to peek through the hole. "Hey, guys, it's some kind of golden digi egg! And it's glowing like it could be super powerful!"

"Sticky Net!" BlackWormmon spun a web to climb up and get a closer look. It was just as Davis had said, a glowing golden digi-egg... and he could hear a voice emanating from its surface. A cry for help.

"Ken! Ken, is that you? Can you hear me through there somehow?!" BlackWormmon clutched the digi egg desperately. He knew Ken was in great danger. "Please... Ken. I wish I could help. I wish I were strong enough to protect you."

The egg glowed brighter as the others watched, sensing something too.

"I wish I was at your side now to fight for you. I would make you proud."

In a flash of blinding, enveloping light, BlackWormmon was sucked into the digi egg of miracles. It blasted up and away through the stone, disappearing from view.

"Raidramon, can you shoot through more of these layers?" Davis asked after a moment of stunned silence, "We should follow that egg!"

* * *

Ken couldn't maintain his grip. He knew that keeping one's body relaxed when falling was the best way to reduce impact. It was a lot more difficult to do in practice than in theory, especially since there was a giant monster to deal with if he survived the landing and stayed conscious. He closed his eyes and worked through the steps quickly: Try to land feet-first, knees slightly bent, arms up and angled to protect the head and neck...

Impact. He rolled over his right shoulder at a 45 degree angle to try to distribute more force. After a moment or two of breathless silence, Ken gasped. He could feel pain shooting through his feet and shins. He tried to comfort himself with the knowledge that at least feeling pain meant the injury wasn't as bad as it could be, but it didn't keep him from screaming. Kimeramon roared to life, meeting Ken's cries with its own primal growls.

Ken couldn't see any way to escape. He had no weapons left, all his supplies had exploded, and he faced the creature with only the digivice clipped to his collar. His chances of getting out of this were hovering around 5%, and Ken couldn't find any way to improve them in time. The only ideas he had presently were to try to use the digivice somehow, and to keep Kimeramon away from where the disk had landed. He grit his teeth, pulling the digivice into his hands. He looked at the buttons, realizing that he wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of them before Kimeramon had flattened him like a pancake. He desperately held the device out toward the monster with a trembling arm, hoping for something, anything. A huge black claw swung toward Ken, and barely missed him as he rolled out of the way.

Ken felt like his body was on fire. Kimeramon's next swing did not miss. Bony claws shredded the flesh on Ken's back. He frantically tried to pull himself forward to crawl away with his elbows, but he just wasn't quick enough. Ken's vision blurred, his heart was racing. Kimeramon raised its giant foot. It hung over Ken like the shadow of death. He was finished. At this point his chances weren't even 1% … he would need a miracle.

The white D-3 digivice began to glow.

A blinding bright light creashed down through the ceiling into the arena. Kimeramon's foot slammed down on top of Ken's legs. Before blacking out, he could hear the cry of his digimon. It was so strange, it seemed more like a memory. He couldn't be sure if Wormmon was really there or if his mind was trying to comfort him with the image of his partner, standing up for him. "The disc! Get the disc!" Ken tried to push the words up from his lungs, but they didn't come. They were the last thoughts of his consciousness before it all disappeared.

"BlackWormmon, armor digivolve to... Kongoumon!"


	18. Chapter 18

The shining golden beetle digimon tackled Kimeramon to the ground with a metallic clang, freeing his partner from the beast's massive foot. The attack knocked the breath out of both digimon. Although Kongoumon was less than half of Kimeramon's size, his determination gave him ferocious power.

"This... Is. For. Him! Arm Bombs!" All 6 of Kongoumon's arms blasted off from his body like homing missiles. They struck Kimeramon in the face and sides of the head, impaling him in the eyes with the sharp golden instruments the insect digimon held in his fists. Kimeramon roared, lashing its tail from side to side frantically, knocking Kongoumon back.

Kongoumon turned back to Ken. The child's chest was rising and falling, but he wasn't responsive. His hand was stretched out toward something shining... a fallen disc on the ground in the distance.

Kimeramon charged toward them blindly. Kongoumon clutched his opponent and rolled, using his immense weight to send Kimeramon's attack off in another angle of trajectory, away from Ken and the strange disk he seemed to be reaching for. Kimeramon crashed head-first into the wall of the arena.

Kongoumon tumbled back. He bowed before Ken's unconscious form and whispered, "I returned for you. My loyalty is unwavering. If you perish here, I will avenge you tenfold, my partner."

The digimon stepped away from his boy and concentrated on another attack. His arms re-grew into place, and he shot forward fists-first toward the dazed Kimeramon. Kongoumon's fists pummeled Kimeramon's sides repeatedly, slamming the same spots again and again to strategically wear down the weak areas of the opponent. Kimeramon fell to the ground thrashing in agony.

Kongoumon could do it. He steadied his hands to snap Kimeramon's neck in a finishing blow. His rage was overwhelming. He wanted the enemy dead...

But the sight of the arena surrounding them reminded him of something else. It had only been a day ago when he and Ken had looked down over that balcony above them now. How could everything have changed so much in just a day? He remembered being there, being Wormmon, and being ignorant of so much... but... his stomach churned. He remembered the disgust he had felt at the thought of digimon killing each other as a part of some twisted human's game. Was that game still playing out here and now?

Could the Digimon Emperor be watching him fight Kimeramon through some hidden camera? Would he get some sick entertainment value from the level of violence Kongoumon put into this fight? Would he be satisfied to see one of them destroy the other, even if his creation lost in the end?

His hands pulled back from Kimeramon's neck and instead knocked hard against its thick, plated head. The amalgamate digimon went limp.

Kongoumon slowly stepped away from the enemy and returned to Ken's side. He was still breathing. Kongoumon was afraid to touch him, crestfallen, and simply knelt beside his partner. "You aren't alone. You won't be alone, Ken. Don't worry anymore. I'm here for you. The Emperor can't touch you. Please, Ken, stay with me." Tears formed in Kongoumon's eyes as his evolution ended, returning him to the form of BlackWormmon. "... Please. I don't know what to do anymore. I won for you, Ken. I fought and won for you. Please be okay."

Of course. The disc. BlackWormmon wiped his face, crawling over to retrieve the object that his partner was reaching out for. For something that looked so ordinary, it felt very important. Very special. BlackWormmon handled it with care, hoping that the others would find them soon. Instead, a Frigimon found him first. He shot at the snow monster with a net of webs, but it held up a hand.

"Be calm. I am a friend," said Frigimon, brushing off the sticky threads from its powdery body. "Leomon has freed me from the evil master's control. This dark ring that I wear is broken, and its power is void. We have been in contact with resistance fighters. They told us you were coming. The two of us will aid you, if we can."

"He's bleeding," BlackWormmon croaked, turning back to Ken, "His legs... and his body... I don't know what to do for him. What can we do?"

"Ah, so this is the brother, not the Emperor. I see," Fridgimon stared down at the boy, "We can get the two of you to safety in the human world through the terminal we use to communicate with the others on our side. It's hidden under a stone in the prison here—it's not far. I will retrieve it."

"T-Thank you. That will be very helpful," BlackWormmon sniffled.

"Leomon is looking for your companions. He will bring them here when he finds them."

BlackWormmon bent his head to the ground and cried. He could hear the Digidestined arriving.

"Hey... Hey! BlackWormmon, I'm talking to you!" T.K. waved a hand in front of him, "Can you weave a cot for us to carry Ken? Veemon couldn't maintain his armor digi-evolution, so Davis and I will have to move him ourselves. We could really use your help."

Davis stood staring at Ken, lying there in the Digimon Emperor's clothes. He wanted to believe what his eyes were telling him—that it was the Emperor and not his friend gasping for breath, crushed and broken. If only it had been that terrible person, the person who was at fault for everything, instead of the one who had put his own cares aside to defend the helpless against evil. He placed a hand on BlackWormmon's head before helping T.K. pick up the other end of the web cot.

Davis and T.K. carried Ken's limp body through the digiport into Mr. Ishida's home office.

"Dad," T.K. gasped, helping Ken onto the sofa before collapsing onto the floor from exhaustion, "He needs an ambulance, now!"

"It's too late," Davis wailed, kneeling beside Ken, clutching his bleeding torso around the waist, "He's not going to make it." It was just like last time. Just like last time, only this time it was real. He was really dying. Davis couldn't handle this happening again. He just couldn't. Only BlackWormmon seemed to understand his dispair.

Mr. Ishida rushed to phone the emergency dispatch. "Hello?" He asked, voice rising in panic as he saw Ken's blood pooling on the pads of his sofa, "We have a child here that's badly hurt. He needs medical care immediately. Send someone right away!"

Time seemed to pass so slowly. Ken's breaths were shallow. Mr. Ishida put pressure on Ken's wounds, but said not to move him any more in case he had a spinal injury. When the medics finally arrived and lifted him into the ambulance, they could not pull Davis away. BlackWormmon stayed close too, and both of them stayed with him in the ambulance and at the hospital until Ken's cart was wheeled into the surgical suite. Demiveemon and the others rode in the T.V. Station van with the Ishidas, and didn't arrive at the hospital until Ken was already under the knife.

"They..." Davis sniffled, looking up at his friend with a tear-soaked face, "Said he has a chance."

"That's good," T.K. sat beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"T.K. should have stayed home to rest," Mr. Ishida said, "But I couldn't refuse to take him to you when he asked me."

Davis fell bawling into T.K.'s arms. "It's my fault... oh, God, it's happening all over again."

BlackWormmon stared vacantly through the sliding door out into the hallway of the ER. Despite his rage, he did not want to blame Davis for what happened to Ken. Davis might not have been able to prevent it, but he was not the cause. He wanted to tell Davis, but he could not bring himself to do so.

"H-hey," T.K. comforted Davis, "Dad told me that Cody is alright. He's in the burn unit of this same hospital, and the doctors said his leg will make a full recovery, in time. When dad told Tsubamon Cody's room number, the little ball of energy bounced up three flights of stairs to see the kid, he was so happy." Purupurumon had fluttered after his bouncing friend. Some of the hospital staff had stared at the digimon, but at this point none of them even cared about that sort of thing.

"That's... great news for Cody." Davis said quietly. Demiveemon cuddled his human's leg.

"Want to see him?"

"Sure, that's fine," Davis sighed, sliding out of his chair.

"He'll be glad to see that you and I are safe," T.K. gripped his friend's hand.

"How about you, little fella?" Mr. Ishida asked BlackWormmon. The digimon shook his head, "You go. I'll stay here."

A part of Davis wanted to stay in the empty ER room with BlackWormmon, even though Mr. Ishida told the nurse where to find them if there was any news about Ken. He knew it would do him more good to stay close to his friends, but he wished that BlackWormmon would come with them to see Cody.


	19. Chapter 19

When they arrived at Cody's room in the burn unit, he was sitting up in bed, holding his digimon close, surrounded by friends and family. Yolei and Kari were there, and Yolei's parents were there too. Gatomon was asleep on a chair, wrapped in a warm blanket. Purupurumon rested on Yolei's shoulder. Her parents were staring at it, whispering to one another.

"You're okay!" Kari exclaimed, running up to hug T.K. and Davis. "We were so worried when you stopped answering messages. What happened?"

"Ken's in critical condition," Davis held his head in his hand. "He's in surgery right now."

"You two actually found him?" Kari looked stunned, "How did you do it?"

"Woah, you did?" Yolei chimed in, "And rescued him?"

"We got him out," T.K. said. "And not a moment too soon."

"Yolei, what is all this about?" her mother interrupted, "You kids have been doing dangerous things and keeping secrets. You keep asking for food from the store, and you bring home these strange animals. Tell the truth. You go to the rough side of town with these friends of yours, don't you? Have you been on the drugs, young lady?!"

Kari couldn't help but chuckle. "Nothing like that, Mrs. Inoue. We're actually doing something very important together to help others."

"It's true, mom. These chubby little puffballs are called Digimon, and they have their own world and everything, but it's under attack! We only missed school yesterday because an evil Emperor kidnapped Davis's smart friend and we were trying to save him when Cody got hurt!"

"Slow down, honey," said Yolei's father, "You're not making any sense."

Their daughter took a deep breath, "Sorry. We've already told Cody's family all about it. They wouldn't stop asking questions,"

"Well you can't blame them," Cody spoke up, "If I were in their place, I would demand to know the cause of this as well."

T.K. and Davis approached Cody and stood beside his bed. T.K. spoke for both of them, letting Cody know they were very glad he was OK before resting back in one of the chairs.

Cody's grandfather bowed to Mr. and Mrs. Inoue, "I can fill them in on the details of this situation outside. There are too many of us in this small room. Let us take a walk through the halls for our discussion and give Cody some space."

"I'll see if I can help with that," Mr. Ishida offered. "My sons were in danger four years ago when this all started, and ever since then I've worried about them so much."

Cody's mother remained by his side after the other adults left.

Kari was looking at her shoes, "We should have been open with our parents about this from the start. Sure, it's difficult to explain, but it has taken over our lives. We're Digidestined, it's part of our identity, as much or maybe more than being students or children is a part of it. We couldn't expect to keep it from them forever. I spoke to Tai on the phone this morning when we got back. We agreed to speak to our parents honestly about what we've been doing in the digital world, and the risks involved. We can only hope that they will understand. It's better than going missing and leaving them without any explanation."

"Um," Cody's mother spoke softly when Kari had finished, "I realize that all of you are really serious about this. My son has a lot of integrity, and you are all very brave, but I don't think I can allow Cody to return to the digital world."

"What?" Cody's grip around Tsubamon tightened, "No! You can't be serious! Mom, I'm fine! My leg will get better, the doctor said so! My friends need my help if we're going to beat the Emperor."

Mrs. Hida stroked her son's chestnut hair. "My dear, dear son... you are so selfless. You only want to do what's right, but you fail to see how much your grandfather and I are afraid to lose you."

"Ah, mom..." Cody closed his eyes. Of course. They had already lost his father. Cody was her only child, the one that would continue the family line. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to be disrespectful. Of course I care about your feelings for me. I don't want you to worry because I'm reckless. I just … wish... that there was an easy choice to make. I've always known the risks of what we do in the digital world, and I thought that because I was accepting of the possible consequences that it was okay." He bowed his head, "Forgive me."

"What? Cody? So you're just... giving up?" Yolei squeaked.

"No," said Cody. "But I won't disobey my mother and grandfather. I will just have to convince them to let me return."

"But we're barely a match for the Emperor even with you on the team! Without you and digmon there, we'll get our digi-pants handed to us!"

"Stop it, Yolei!" Cody barked, "You're only making my mother worry more!"

"Stop, both of you," said Kari. "Fighting won't solve anything. We can't demand things from each other. If experience with this sort of thing has taught me anything, it's that we Digidestined know what's right to do when the time comes. Whether that's fighting or staying out of it isn't something anyone can say right now. We just need to respect one another and give each other space to make our own choices." Kari thought of all the times that Mimi and Sora hadn't wanted to fight. Sometimes it made them cry, or run away, or freeze up in the face of danger, but it always taught them a lesson. They never would have learned what was worth fighting for if the decision to fight or not had been taken away from them. Tensions were high. The team was splitting apart.

"I'm sorry," Kari said, shaking her head, "I think I need to get some air too. T.K., do you want to come walk with me?"

The poor, exhausted boy was snoozing in his chair.

"Davis, how about you?"

"Oh?" Davis looked like he had been startled out of a thought, "Yeah. Let's go."

They stepped through the sliding glass door out of the burn unit.

"You're feeling guilty about Ken, aren't you?" Kari asked.

"Yeah," Davis sighed as they kept moving. "But it's not just guilt. I feel like if he dies in there, so does a part of me."

"... I know what you mean," Kari took Davis's hand, glancing back through the burn unit window at T.K. as he slept.

"No. You couldn't know." Davis said evenly. "I know you've been through a lot, and I am not trying to discredit that, but you can't know. No one you feel this much for has ever been so close to death because of you."

"Mmm," Kari nodded, "I see how you feel about it. I'm sorry."

"I know," Davis kept walking, letting go of her hand, looking straight ahead. "Don't worry about it."


	20. Chapter 20

Ken awoke to the monotone beeps and humming of hospital equipment. Davis, BlackWormmon, and his parents were all there, looking like they were so full of emotion they might burst.

"Ken?" Davis almost fell out of his seat at the sight of Ken's eyelids fluttering open. "Can you hear me buddy?"

BlackWormmon crawled to the side of the hospital bed, "Ken?"

"So this..." Ken grunted, but he was interrupted by his parents' fervent exclamations of how they were so worried about him, loved him dearly, would never let him out of their sight again. After a long time of listening, he breathed and continued his sentence, "... is how it feels to lose a wrestling match with a steamroller."

Davis laughed in spite of himself. He leaned in to embrace Ken before remembering that his friend had fractured ribs and spinal trauma.

"As much... as I would love... to have that hug you want to give me..." Ken struggled for the words, "It can wait. Wormmon. Did you retrieve the disc like I asked?"

BlackWormmon looked surprised at the abrupt change of subject, "Yes, Ken, it's at Mr. Ishida's house right now."

Ken exhaled deeply, then inhaled, "Then... this wasn't all for nothing," He smiled. "We have the trump card. We have everything we need to beat him. I just need to hang on, and when I recover, we'll put a stop to the Emperor's actions... once and for all."

Mrs. Ichijouchi turned to her husband and whispered with a worried look on her face, "The doctors didn't mention any brain damage. Is it the pain medication that's making him say all of these strange things?"

"Just rest," Davis patted the blanket by Ken's side, afraid that if he touched Ken anywhere that it would be too painful. Davis didn't think he had the strength to explain the digital world to Ken's parents, and he knew BlackWormmon didn't either. Mr. Ishida might help them understand later. "I'm not sure I can-"

Ken guessed what he was thinking. "Never mind that... now. We'll have plenty of time to talk with them about it when we're ready. Thank you … for saving... my life, Davis." He stroked Wormmon's antenna, "And thank you, too, Wormmon. You were excellent."

Ken's father turned to Davis now, "Is this true? Are you really responsible for saving my son's life?"

"Yes, but..." Davis said, unsure how to explain that he was also the one that put Ken in danger in the first place.

Ken's parents bowed to Davis, "Thank you," Mrs Ichijouchi told him, "We will never be able to repay you for bringing him back to us."

"T.K. Ishida helped too," Davis hid his face, trying not to show his tears. "He probably did more than I could do for your son. He held himself together when I was helpless."

Mrs. Ichijouchi placed a hand on Davis's shoulder. "He is alive. That is all that matters."

Those words conveyed so much to Davis. Ken was alive. Perhaps in time, Davis could learn to forgive himself. Ken rested his head back to sleep. Davis finally pulled himself together and called his parents.

* * *

Weeks passed. Cody's recovery was going well, as expected. He was walking alright, with the assistance of a staff, and that was the extent of the good news. Cody's mother decided that she didn't want him seeing the other Digidestined outside of school and school activities. He respected her wishes, although he missed his friends very much. At least he had Upamon to keep him company. Although he knew his digimon partner was safe from the ravages of the Emperor, he was frustrated by the thought that other digimon were in danger, and there was nothing he could do.

Yolei's parents forbade her from seeing the other Digidestined too, but she didn't listen. She would frequently sneak out to meet with Kari and T.K. to discuss what they could do. Every time they got together, Yolei tried to convince them to go to the digital world and fight the Emperor. Every time, T.K. and Kari would refuse to go without Davis and Cody. She, too, felt quite frustrated and angry. She would have gone to the digital world by herself, but Kari said she'd tell Yolei's parents where she went. Visions of being grounded, locked in her room until college swam before Yolei's mind, and she would say, "Oh... fine! Then give up already, and just let the Emperor have the Digital world!" This would often start all three of them into an argument. Before too long, they stopped meeting up.

Mr. Ishida had changed his mind about letting T.K. go to the digital world more than once. He wanted to show that he was a responsible parent, protecting his child from danger, but he also wanted to respect his son's goal of freeing the digital world. T.K. had saved the real world in the past, after all, which was more than most adults could say. To Mr. Ishida's relief, T.K. seemed not to hold the decisions on this matter against his father. He just chose not to discuss it with him anymore.

Kari's mom was the only one that was supportive of the Digidestined. Tai and Kari had convinced her that what the group was doing was important enough to take great risks for. She bought Kari and Tai some pepper spray and some self-defense videos and made sure that their meals had plenty of protein.

Davis's parents still let him visit his friends, but going to the digital world was out of the question. Davis didn't mind this at the time. He knew that their best chance of beating the Emperor wasn't rushing back to the digital world and taking him on in a head to head fight. They had tried that too many times, and it had failed. Instead, he decided that helping Ken decode the control program and develop a countermeasure was the best plan.

Honestly, Davis was more of the moral support when it came to the programming. Ken still couldn't walk, and was using a wheelchair to get around. He was refusing to do any school work or compete in anything until the Digimon Emperor was dealt with. It wasn't as easy to make heads or tails of the control data as he had hoped, at first. This program was complicated and put together in a very unusual way, but it wouldn't be impossible to reverse engineer, it would just take time. Even though Davis didn't know what he was doing, Ken still liked having him around. Minomon and Demiveemon would wrestle and play together, Ken would read code, and Davis would make them all tea and cookies. His cookies were terrible, but to Ken, it was the thought behind it that counted, and the digimon would eat anything. Even after losing the ability to use his legs, Ken still thought the discovery of the digital world was a net gain. He had the chance to save an entire world full of undocumented creatures—it was a truly unique once-in-a-lifetime chance to put his skills to good use. Of course, he still hadn't told his parents that the Digimon Emperor they were fighting was Sam. He didn't think he could ever tell them.

Ken's current idea was a sort of "White ring" that would shield a digimon against a dark ring. Instead of routing a digimon's control to a spire, it would route a digimon's control back to itself. He still had a few issues with construction. The first tests of such a device would be risky, especially if Davis wouldn't be able to reassemble the whole team to help.

* * *

The Digimon Emperor was sitting at his control terminal. The past few weeks had been, frankly, much less satisfying than he had expected them to be. Conquering the digital world just wasn't as fun when unopposed. Rooting out the rebellious digimon factions hadn't been hard now that he was aware of their method of subterfuge. Digimon were strong-willed at times, but ultimately as predictable as any other set of data.

He hadn't even had the chance to finish off his human enemies. They had come so close to gaining ground against him, and then what? They just gave up after one little casualty? The digital world seemed... empty. The Emperor had never experienced truly sharing the world with an equal rival, but Ken was the closest anyone had come to filling that role. After mulling over the interactions with his brother countless times, Sam understood _what_ Ken had done to betray him, but not why. If Ken wanted to take Sam's place as ruler of the digital world, his actions would make no sense. He seemed to be motivated by group loyalty to the Digidestined, but how had they earned Ken's devotion? Surely it would take something more than ordinary friendship to persuade Ken to betray his own brother. Oh well. Either way, he had been dealt with.

The monitors cut to gray fuzz for a moment before broadcasting the image of a white-haired woman. Sam was so surprised at her sudden appearance that he almost jumped out of his seat.

"What!?" He exclaimed, "Who are you? What are you doing in my system?"

The woman chuckled softly and pushed up her purple shades with one finger, "Relax, my Emperor. I am called Arukenimon... and I come bearing a message. A message from your partner digimon."

All questions of how this woman had hacked his terminal were put aside for the moment. Sam was on the edge of his seat, itching to know if this statement was true. He had no special reason to trust this bizarre woman, but if this were some plot concocted by the Digidestined, he would certainly enjoy himself.

"Go on," Sam smirked, one eyebrow raised.

"Your partner has been observing your progress and finds your conquest worthy. He proposes a meeting between the two of you, in the human world. You will bring your army, prepared to conquer the human world. He has left instructions for the use of a digital gate into Odaiba, where he awaits you and your forces with the powers he has possessed. I am to await your reply."

Well, this was certainly unexpected. It seemed very unlikely to be some trap of the Digidestined. They would ask him to come alone, not with an army. Still, the circumstances were highly unusual. How could his digimon already be in the human world? Had the digimon traveled of its own power into the human world just as Sam had used his knowledge and skills to travel to the digital one? A growing feeling of hope that Sam had not known for a very, very long time swelled in his breast. Perhaps this digimon—his partner digimon—was his one true equal. Kimeramon had been powerful, but still possessed only the mind of a slave. A digimon that had already made its way to the human world and yet kept tabs on his progress in the digital world was undeniably impressive. Arukenimon spoke of some power this digimon had acquired as well.

"All of your questions will be answered when the two of you meet," Arukenimon assured the Emperor. "And more will be explained that you would not have even known to ask."

Sam had not ever planned to return to the human world, let alone conquer it. He was happy to leave behind the sickening inhabitants of that place, but conquering Earth might provide the perfect chance to see if his digimon really was playing at his own skill level.

"I accept my digimon's offer to meet, and agree to the terms," Sam nodded, eyes gleaming behind his ornate tinted goggles. The building adrenaline erupted into a laugh. The Digidestined thought they could escape his wrath by fleeing back home to their parents. Now, in their last moments, they would feel that they had brought the Digimon Emperor's doom upon their families and their world with their cowardice. Ah, the small perks of conquering worlds.

"Excellent," Arukenimon replied, "I will inform him of your decision immediately. When you are ready to invade the human world, he will be waiting for you atop the Rainbow Bridge. The gate's instructions are being emailed to you as we speak."

"Anything else?" Sam folded his arms.

Arukenimon's face contorted into a curled and ferocious grin, "This is his only message. I believe we are finished here... Emperor."

Sam thought he detected a note of derision in her voice, but paid it little heed. The game was afoot.


	21. Chapter 21

Today's visit to Ken's was different. Davis received a message over the D3 that said "Breakthrough. Don't bother me today."

Naturally, this worried him, and he came over as soon as he could. He knocked 5 times before Minomon grabbed hold of the door handle in his mouth and managed to let Davis and Demiveemon inside.

"He hasn't slept all night," the little green digimon informed them, "But he really is getting somewhere now. He muttered something a few minutes ago, and seems... really intense."

"Hey, Ken... heard you were making progress," Davis said casually as they entered Ken's room. He was furiously typing away, but gave a small grunt of acknowledgment. Davis leaned forward over the side of Ken's wheelchair and stared at the screen. "Woah... this is new."

Ken was no longer searching through the coding of the Emperor's devices. Now he was building something of his own.

"Ken, this is brilliant—i mean, of course it's brilliant—it's your creation, right?! But, still, this is the cat's pajamas! We've finally got some hope for a change!"

Demiveemon chuckled a little, thinking of Gatomon in the funny clothes the humans wore to bed.

Ken didn't respond, instead he just kept going, churning out more lines of code like his life depended on it. Well, he had been working on it all night. He looked pale, and probably hadn't eaten this whole time.

"Demiveemon, turn on the stove. This situation calls for hot noodles."

Davis patiently waited on Ken for three hours. After about 10 minutes of the noodles sitting there next to the computer monitor, Ken took notice. He took the bowl in one hand, slurping it ravenously while the other hand kept typing.

After another hour, Ken slumped down over the keyboard, "I don't think I can keep this up for much longer."

"Don't worry. The digital world isn't going anywhere. Take a break, get some sleep, you've already done so much," Davis comforted him.

"Okay, okay, but Davis I have so much on my plate. I know I told you not to come over but..." he pushed the keyboard away, "It's good to see your face. Sorry. I'm just so tired. I should complete the testing version sometime tomorrow. Do whatever you can to get the team back together. I know some of them are at odds with each other right now. I'd try to help, but dealing with people isn't really my area of expertise."

"No no no," said Davis, "I'll handle getting the team together for tests, don't you worry about that. You don't have to wear yourself down like this, Ken, it's not good for you. I didn't want any of this to happen. I'm... really sorry. It's my fault you have to deal with this stuff at all. I'm sorry about-"

"Forget it. Can you help me into bed?"

Davis picked Ken up out of his wheelchair and tucked him into the bed covers carefully.

"I really am sorry. If I hadn't dragged you into this, you'd still be out on the field playing soccer and creaming everyone at chess," Davis whispered.

Ken sighed, closing his sunken eyes, "Look... would we do things differently if we could do it all again? Yes. But that doesn't matter. You only get one try, and when this much is at stake, sometimes you have to take risks to be able to live with yourself. For whatever mistakes we made—and both of us made mistakes—at least we took action. At least we stood up for what's right. If we didn't even try, how would we live with ourselves? I don't blame you for a thing."

Davis nodded. "You mean it?"

"Of course. Now get out of my house and let me sleep, you goofball," Ken smiled.

* * *

It had been almost four years since a gate from the digital world opened in Odaiba. Four years since invading viruses threatened humanity on real, physical soil. The events surrounding the Odaiba invasion were so strange that no one really talked about them. No one wanted to think about what had really happened once it was over. The people rebuilt, things went on as normal, and that was that.

Only, it wasn't actually the last they would see of digimon armies. That very day, the Digimon Emperor's troops flooded through the gate into the city, crushing cars and smashing whatever and whoever stood in the way. Sam glided effortlessly over the city on his spiral-clad Saberdramon. At first, Sam thought he might have to find a way to construct control spires in the real world, but found through some preliminary efforts that hijacking signal towers would do the trick. His power was secure, his legion was ready, and the first stop on his trail of conquest was Rainbow Bridge.

Seeing the human world again, Sam felt strange. He remembered it as a distasteful place, full of loathsome people and systems that were hopelessly broken. From up this high, it did not look like such a wasteland of futility. Back in the digital world it was a mere concept, a dream left behind for the waking lands. Here, he was reminded all too vividly of the place where he came from. Here he was not an Emperor, but a school aged child. Here he was not respected and feared, but now he would reclaim this place and mold it in his image. He would lead humans and digimon into a new age, an age that made sense. Now he would not have to escape from his past, he could overcome it.

A single man in a dark trench coat waited atop one of the bridge arches, oblivious to the chaos of fleeing masses below. Sam was drawn to his sight, and guided the Saberdramon to hover before him.

"What is the meaning of this?" He asked, looking down his nose at the middle-aged man with a thin smile on his pallid face. "Who are you, and where is my digimon," the Emperor snapped.

The man took a slow breath, savoring the chill air between them, and gazed at the Emperor, at Sam, right between the eyes. "I am your digimon. I am Myotismon."

"You're a digimon? … I was expecting something impressive, maybe with wings or a giant sword, not a washed up old man that looks like he needs to get out more. Give me one good reason I shouldn't kick you to the ground."

"Ahh... that sharpened tongue of yours , as always, and the ferocity to actually carry out your threats. You are truly an Emperor among human maggots, as I am a lord among digimon fools. This body and my first impression may not be much, but I will more than make up for that with what is to come."

"Your messenger spoke of some power you possess that you plan to offer me. What is it?" the Emperor demanded.

The man in the coat pulled a small trinket from his pocket, "I tried to conquer the human world not long ago, but I was unprepared and overconfident. I was powerful, but that power blinded me to my weaknesses. My arrogance was my downfall. I did not take the threat of my enemies seriously. I did not bother to crush them when I had the chance."

The man looked out over the water pensively, "Looking back on my mistakes after my defeat, I recalled situations where I could have easily killed four different Digidestined, and that might have demoralized those that remained. I took many things for granted, not the slightest of which is the power of human children. When I was defeated by the Digidestined, I saw clearly that there were forces at work in both of our worlds of which I was woefully ignorant."

The crest gleamed in his hand.

"While I was in possession of the Crest of Light," Myotismon continued, "I learned every minute detail of what it was, but not why it was. Only whilst ruminating upon my failure could I see clearly. The crests are a fail-safe installed by those who created digimon, to protect humanity should digimon pose a threat to human existence. Each crest draws on the power of a common value keyed by their creators, shared by a paired digimon and a human—partners, they're called. Without this partnership, or the crest to signal the partners' common value as accepted by the master program, a digimon cannot reach its maximum potential. This would allow for what the creators saw as "good," those digimon and humans that embodied chosen traits, to always triumph and preserve humanity as a point of destiny. The Digidestined... but a word like "Destiny" is only meant to seem insurmountable, and is perfectly able to be exploited by the skilled when it is properly understood. That is, after all, what we viruses do best," He licked his lip with a predatory gleam in his eyes, "Destiny is watching a program perform its function as it should, and who could come to know how it works better than a digimon—the very pinnacle of what humans call "artificial" intelligence. As if intelligence were inherently organic! What an absurd notion," He chuckled, "Observing your world from inside this human host has elucidated the so-called intelligence of most humans! Most of these fleshbags are less than the intelligences they call artificial. But you know this all too well, don't you..."

So this digimon was possessing someone's body? How unexpected. Sam had no idea how that was possible, but it certainly was fascinating. Listening to his digimon speak, even speaking of failure, was enthralling. The voice seemed familiar, somehow.

"But I learned more," the digimon grinned, "Imagine my delight when I learned that some humans could be such delicious little viruses themselves! Yes, some of them are compassionate, like those chosen children, but there are just as many who would step on each other to rise up. It was thanks to this discovery that I knew I could find a suitable human..." Myotismon laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, "A human to be my partner." he gave Sam the glowing red object he was holding, "This is my finest creation. I have built this, and your dark digivice, for the purpose of redirecting destiny. My Crest of Domination. It is for that virtue—a virus's highest virtue—that I chose YOU to be my partner. Competitive, intelligent, resilient, strong, not held back by worthless pity for your inferiors, the potential for an ideal match. Ruthlessness alone is not enough. There are many brutish animals that would tear another limb from limb. But we are visionaries. We wish to shape the world in our image, destroying all who oppose us, creating our Empire."

Sam nodded, "With me by your side, you'll reach your full power, and we will achieve more than any human or digimon ever has. You've beaten the system. Well done. I had hoped for nothing less, and I accept you as my digimon partner." An equal at last. Matching masterminds bent on succeeding at any cost. Sam placed the crest around his neck.

Myotismon could feel it now—the connection, the bond between himself and this human creature. He had chosen very carefully, he had taken his time, he had allowed the child to grow strong, and now he was ready. "I will answer any other questions that you have now, and then we will make our first move."

"The control spires," Sam began, "I based them on some notes that I found in my computer before ever visiting the digital world. Was that your doing?"

"Yes. The spires' programming is based on one aspect of my own—the ability to bend wills to me. A handy vampire trick that is both practical and quite amusing. I am a vampire demon digimon, you see. That is also how I was able to posses this body that formerly belonged to Yukio Oikawa. It has served its purpose well, but this man was no more than a pawn. Anything else?"

"Plenty," said the Emperor, "But these questions can wait until after we've moved against our enemies. I take it you have something specific in mind?"

"Oh, yes. We will take the Fuji TV station, and broadcast our demands from there."

"Right. I'll order my army to-" The Emperor began, but Myotismon interrupted.

"There's no need for that. There's something I've been wanting to try. Tell me, child, if you can feel … THIS!"

Myotismon opened Yukio Oikawa's mouth and began to suck up the data of all of the digimon in the army the Emperor had brought to Odaiba. Without wills of their own or a command from their Emperor, the controlled digimon were powerless to resist their annihilation. Myotismon absorbed the vast river of data from the destroyed slaves. He ripped Oikawa's body to shreds, bursting forth from it in a spectacular evolution.

The Saberdramon Sam was riding broke in to millions of tiny pieces, and Sam began to fall through the sky. His heart was pounding in his chest as a massive hand caught him out of the air below. The boy felt no fear, he was overwhelmed with waves of ecstasy and energy as Myotismon fed. Sam could not keep himself from bursting out into a haunting laugh of maniacal elation. It was so pleasing, so addicting to watch, to feel his digimon partner drink in the energy of their deaths. In the rush of power that filled him, that echoed through his core, Sam didn't care that his army was being destroyed. He didn't want it to stop.

"Myotismon... digivolve to... Sadismyotismon!"

The vampire was reborn in a massive shadow shape, shrouding the sky above in a black mist. Sadismyotismon stood taller than the bridge, dark as night except for a winged crimson mask a mouth full of white needle-like teeth. His long, thin arms and spindly fingers spread eerily over the water below. The giant monster and laughing child were quite a fearsome sight to behold. Now that all the digimon data was absorbed, they still were not sated. The partners that cheated destiny turned their sights to the crowd of trapped humans on the bridge, draining them one by one of their blood, fueling their expanse.

"More! HAHAHAHA!" the Digimon Emperor shouted, "This is incredible!"

Sadismyotismon held the boy close to his body, proud and possessive of this frail human child that somehow was the source of the greatest power he had ever known. The Crest of Domination burned deep red upon Sam's chest under the darkening sky of the human world.


End file.
